Life Is Strange Eternity War Episode 4 Paradise Lost
by WickDaLine
Summary: After the truth about Max's quest is broken to Chloe, conflict rises for Max and Alex traveling to Meridian Prime. Between trusting an old foe and fighting anew in the race to the ark. David and Cayce enter the war in Beirut to help resistance fighters against ConDef where an old ally has the key to what their adversaries need. The stakes of the war will be higher than ever.
1. Tillamook

Previously on Life Is Strange: Eternity War…

"Don't be surprised, Max, if one day, I'm just out of here," said Alex.

* * *

"Reliable sources suggest a ConDef raid in Cambridge, Massachusetts," said David. "Kidnapping of students, technicians, professors, and a heist of an unknown device. "We also have trouble in the state of Idaho. The state's secretary informed Chrysalis intelligence of possible ConDef activity taking over a Christian community in Caldwell for reasons unknown."

* * *

"Okay, so we know we're not the first ones here," said Alex.

"As long as Joanna, Alkaline and Ares think we're dead," said Max. "We've got the element of surprise. Let's not waste it."

* * *

"Suzy said she was putting out an SOS!" Warren laughed. "I had no idea the king of the Blackwell cops would show up!"

"Warren Graham," I said with a smile. "You were always the likable of the Blackwell bunch."

* * *

"Rumors around the lab were that ConDef plans to use it as a basis for a massive terrorist attack," said Brainer. "I heard talk of something called 'Ares'. It may be the name for the superweapon."

* * *

"The Reality Shard is not in this crypt," said Atropos. "For those who believed the Reality Shard to be here soon discovered the fortress of Castle Camelot to be a decoy when in competition."

* * *

We climb up the top of the tower through a hatch up the stairs and the only we were getting off the roof was a jump over to a plank of wood built on some construction work. Alex, Frank, Rachel, and Kristen jumped on first. Fernando and I were the last ones to go as Fernan shut the hatch behind me and I raced off the edge of the room and safely jump onto the plank. But as soon as my feet are on the woodwork, half the construction comes crashing down below me. I run over to where Alex and the others stand before I come crashing down with it.

"Oh, Fernando," said Joanna. "I had such high hopes for you. As if it were in the cards all along."

And just as I predicted, senior Humpty Dumpty made his great fall that immediately paralleled to Kate's. I think fast and thrust my hand towards Fernando's decent to prevent his reminiscent fate with my time stop power.

The five of us race down off the construction to help Fernando. As soon as his stasis bubble wore out, he hit the floor and landed on his left leg that snapped his bones and maimed his muscles. The Spanish kid was severely and injured and we all raced towards him lying on the ground with his crippled leg. At least my powers were an effort to prevent his death over an injury. This would've been Kate if I had stopped her the same way.

"Oh my god, Fernando!" Kristen cried. "Why would you do that?!"

"Don't move!" I warned. "Don't move!"

"Jesus, my leg!" Fernando hollered. "Don't fucking touch it!"

* * *

"David?" Kate said in surprise. "Is – is that really you?"

Kate approached me slowly. I approached her slowly. Should I be nervous to see her or ecstatic to be? Either way, our jaws are dropped and Kate unreluctantly hugs me like we were lifelong soul mates. Then she smiles. Proud of an ex-Blackwell cop who once misjudged her whereabouts for coming for her and family. I send back a light smile for her as her head compacts against my chest and our arms caress one another.

"Good to see you too, Kate," I said. "Didn't think I'd be saying this, but it's good to see you too. Alive and well."

"David, there's something I have to tell you," said Kristine. "I'm one of them."

* * *

"She's one of them, Commander!" Cayce yelled. "We can't let this traitorous bitch walk scot-free!"

"Keep your voice down, Corporal!" I snapped. "That's an order!"

* * *

"I have searched your capabilities. They exceed my expectations. And my sisters'. The Reality Shard shall be yours."

* * *

"It seems your loyalty isn't as firm as you like to think it is," said Joanna.

"What about hers?"

"I know what you're trying to do," said Max.

"Trust me. Alex is only ever in it for Alex. It's a cold hard fact."

* * *

"I know a lot of things about you since we last met in San Francisco," said Ares. "The Mind Shard read your memories when I had you in my grasp. What I want is that script you've found in that church. I understand you have some kind of relationship with the traveler as the Mind Shards tells."

The cannon fires again and blasts down everyone on the U-shaped building roof in the village like skyrockets. Even crumbling the building to the ground like a house of Legos. This war won't be known for its discretion. Especially with public property. The gunship continues firing on other hostiles in the village. From residential households to grain mills to tanks camped out in the trees to everywhere else. Eventually, our convoy makes it to the civilian evacuation landing zone in the junkyard of Canyon Springs. This mission was close to accomplishment.

And before we knew it, the dragon leaped onto the gunship and grasp it with its bare claws. Hanging onto it like a monkey bar.

"What the fuck is that thing!" An FCO screamed.

The dragon breathed fire on the gunship. Right from the cockpit and across the whole interior of the aircraft. Causing it to descend from its altitude as the dragon fled and left the gunship to crash land into flaming metal.

* * *

Rachel sped her bike up like a hotrod to catch up with the convoy. I kept up with her driving as fast as I could on the 4x4 vehicle as well. The mohawked ConDef soldier driving the Truck caught the four of us with his rearview mirror. Tie signaled the jeep behind him to order the gunner to engage on us. Rachel pulled out her pistol and drove close enough to the jeep to get a decent range for shooting. Once she fired her pistol at the jeep, the gunner aimed the turret in Rachel's direction and lit up the juice.

The turret fire caused Rachel to drive out of control in an attempt to avoid the bullets. Only for her drift off the road and roll out of the bike. I drive right past her to where she crashed the bike. I would go after her, but there was no time. Assuming Rachel could quickly get back behind the wheel, I sped up and kept on the convoy's tailing. The gunner on the jeep returns fire and starts spraying the bullets on the three of us. Tie watches us from the truck with his mirror attempting to dodge the bullets the way Rachel did.

* * *

Then suddenly, another massive hull breach blows away the cockpit of the plane. Causing a vacuum of air to sucking Alex and me out with the remaining cargo left onboard. I hang onto something with all my muscles. I grab Alex's hand to keep from flying out. Inevitably, I release ourselves out of the plane and through the hull right into the open air where the vacuum sends us astray five thousand feet in the sky. The of us scream ourselves to death when it happens.

As two of hold hands and fly like Superman and Lois Lane, the cargo plane that was nothing else but burning metal comes crashing land past us. I spot a cargo crate flying in the air without its parachute open. I guide our descent towards the crate and the two of us grab onto the leather ties to hang on. Then I pull the parachute open and we're now gradually descending to the nature preserve. We hear and see the plane hitting the ground with a big boom. Safe at last.

* * *

"The look on your face when you walked into this room, I knew you hadn't changed since Triple 4. If you're done lying to me, then you should stop lying to yourself," said Chloe. "You do what you have to do."

* * *

Chapter 1 Tillamook

Max  
July 22nd, 2017  
11: 52 AM  
Mediterranean Sea  
1 Mile to Meridian Prime

Thunder roaring in the air, lightning blasting through the grey clouds, and enormous waves rocking our boat up and down on the stormy seas. These were not the waters I've come to drive our boat on.

"Ah, shit," I said with my instincts panicking. "This is really not good."

I had the windshield wipes on to see through the rain sprinkling our wet skins off. Alex and I made it off Chronos's island just in time as soon as ConDef arrived. Alex was hanging on by the rear of the boat keeping watch for ConDef boats on our tail while I drove the boat as cautiously as I could and held onto my Time Shard necklace I was holding around my neck as tight as I could.

"Protect it with your life," Chronos says. "Never let Ares get his hand on it," he says. Says the genocidal maniac who tried to end the world the way Ares is about to back in Portland. Going to have to trust him with my life regardless.

We were coming across some big waves racing our way to Meridian Prime and as Captain Caulfield, it was my job to steer the boat to maneuver properly and tell my passenger to hang on.

"Hold on!" I alarmed Alex.

The boat goes up and down the wave and goes down with a splash. Which is when our company arrives.

"Max! They're gaining on us!" Alex warned.

"Yeah, I know!" I responded. "I know!"

Alex had spotted ConDef rafts pursuing us on the wavy waters in the middle of the storm and I turned my head around to confirm she was right. Had to give this boat more speed.

"Well, crank it!" Alex demanded.

"Alex, I'm going as fast as I can!" I muttered.

"Well, shit."

Alex got out her pistol to hold of the resistance. I drove the boat as quick as I could towards the island that was now silhouetting across the mist of the storm. Land ho, Captain Caulfield. Land ho.

I used to wonder how it was like for boatmen sailing to Arcadia Bay during the tornado disaster. Now I know how it felt for them. I used to think of playing pirate ship on a swing set with Chloe was all fun and game. Now I know the reality of how it feels when not pretending our ship was sailing across a storm.

"Keep heading towards the island," said Alex. "I'll try to hold them off. Ah, shit. Here they come!"

Alex fired her gun at the rafts paralleling our position. She suggested that I improvised using the boat.

"They got smaller boats," said Alex. "Ram 'em!"

"Got it," I said.

"Hey, assholes! Tell Ares to find another damn universe to balance!"

I jerked the boat toward the position of one ConDef raft and send it and its passengers flying off the water and down the bottom of the ocean. I jerk the boat in another direction and bust another raft off its floating with ConDef soldiers being left to drown. Alex did whatever could with all the ammo she could carry for her pistol, but couldn't do as much as I.

"I'm not doing much damage here," said Alex.

"Just keep them at bay!" I ordered.

I see a raft driving in front of us and I speed the boat up to ram it down and cause the raft to bounce off the water like a spring and send soldiers flying over us. Hilarious.

"Ha! You took them out!" Alex laughed.

I do the same to another raft and its down for the count. Caulfields: 4. ConDef 0.

"Down you go!" I gloated.

"Uh…big boat," said Alex. "Big boat!"

All of sudden, a bigger boat that was bigger than ours collided next to ours and tore the roof above me in half.

"Ah, shit!" I squealed.

I try and shake off the larger ConDef boat off of us as it scrapped the side of our boat and drove ahead of us. This was no ordinary boat, however. It was a demolition boat shooting mortar mines in the water. One mortar was fired and nearing blew us off the sea if I hadn't dodged it in time.

"Goddammit!" Alex hollered. "They're dropping mines!"

"I see 'em!" I shouted.

"Just keep heading towards the island! Don't let 'em get in front of you!"  
I could see the mortar firing above us like shooting stars and hitting the water like cannon balls. I took evasive action as reflexive as I was until a mortar plummeted in front of us and sent my flying overboard and landing into the salty sea.

I could feel my skin moister into the wetness under the waves and my tongue and nostrils taste the salt water. I was floating one foot under the water and had to swim back to the surface before Alex believes I've drowned to death.

I hold my breath, kick my legs, and circle my arms to swim up as fast as I could until my head is over the waves and I gasp for air. Catching breath, coughing out the disgusting salt water, and floating over the surface. My hair clothes were drenched from taking a dive.

Then I see a light in front of me that belongs to one of the mortar boats that was about run me over. I take a breath in and dive back under and swim under the boat below as its engine propellers causing me to spin around under the water and nearly grazes me to death as it passes.  
Once the boat passes, I swim back up to the surface and see my boat again with Alex still onboard. Calling my name.

"Max!" She screamed. "Hey!"

"I'm okay!" I said. Swimming back to the boat. "I'm okay…"

Then I climb back in and find the engine damage from the crash we had with the mortar.

"Shit, the engine's out," said Alex.

"What?!" I panic.

"I can…I can fix it. Just…just cover me!"

"Goddammit."

"C'mon…c'mon…"

I take cover behind the railing of the boat and unholster my pistol for battle. Alex does what she can to repair the engine as I hold ConDef back until the engine's fixed. A mortar boat had stopped next to us and the soldiers onboard fired their weapons on us. I fire back with my pistol and shoot a guy with a grenade launcher. Causing him to shoot his grenade directly at the bridge of the boat and blow it away into flames. Doing great damage to the boat and sending it underwater.

"Holy shit," I said.

"Ha, ha," laughed Alex. "Karma's a bitch."

"Dammit! More coming!"

"Well shit."

Rafts with turrets drifted next to us and open fired on our boat. We had two turrets against two pistols. The odds weren't too much in our favor if we're going to keep ConDef from shooting holes in our boat and sinking our ship. Then I remembered the Time Shard hanging around my neck. The shard Chronos said that can enhance my power. Perhaps it's now a good time as any to put to use.

I stand out of cover and take control of the shard in my power. A green essence from the shard luminates my body and use the shard's power to time shield the bullets from the turrets and freeze frame them in mid-air like Neo in The Matrix Reloaded or Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens. Then rewind the bullets back to the rafts to deflect the fire and take out the boats with a single explosion.

"Damn, Max!" Alex exclaimed. "That shard sure has it's uses."

"Alex, how's the engine?" I asked.

"Almost got it. I think I got. There! There, I got it!"

"It's working?"

"Yeah, c'mon. Get us outta here!"

I get back to the wheel and hit the peddle with the engine running again. Driving back on course with ConDef still after us.

"Head straight to the island," said Alex.

The boat took some extreme damage from the bullet holes and crashed it took from other boats. Hopefully, she could stay with us until we have sand on our feet again.

We were also now approaching an obstacle course of rocking water the closer we were to the island. I could see them through the mist in the storm while driving.

"Max! Rocks, dead ahead!" Alex warned.

"I can barely see out there," I said.

ConDef was driving their boats past the rocks as well. Some even crashing into them by accident. Alex still had her pistol and it was her turn now to defend the boat.

"Shit," I said. "Get them off of us!"

"I'm doing the best I can here," said Alex. "Max, hurry!"

"Just hang on!"

"On your right!"

I turn my head around rightwards and see a mortar boat speeding next to us and prepared to ram us off the ocean. We were doomed.

"Watch it, watch it!" Alex alarmed.

"Oh, shit!" I yell.

Then the boat hits us through the side, totals our boat, and sends us flying overboard. Right into the water.

"Max!" Alex cried.

Max – Age 10 (POV)  
Chloe – Age 11  
Alex – Age 14  
June 10th, 2006  
10:11 AM  
Tillamook State Forest  
Tillamook Camping Grounds

**11 years earlier…**

"Max?" Dad said in William's car. "Max, you awake?"

I open my eyes and see my dad patting me on the arm to wake me up in the front passenger seat next to William driving the car. Chloe was sitting next to me in the back seat of her dad's car passed out as well. Guess we took a nap for the ride.

"You two, wake up," said Dad. "We're almost there."

Chloe opened her eyes to wake up as she was told. I could see from out the window that we were still driving through the woods of Oregon miles away from Arcadia Bay. The Tillamook woods now it would seem since we were almost to the campgrounds.

"You two sleepyheads awake?" William asked. "We've now entered  
Tillamook and we should be there in less three minutes now."

"Four more minutes, Dad," said Chloe. "Please?"

"Nice try, Chloe. But I'm pretty sure I was clear enough we had three minutes. Not four."

"Maybe if you spent more time getting some sleep than playing your Playbox," said Dad. "You wouldn't be napping in here, now would you?"

"Is Alex and Uncle Bryan still coming, Dad?" I asked.

"They'll be here when they are, Max. Now quit asking and sit tight. We're almost there."

We drive near a sign that reads: Tillamook Camping Grounds and William parks the car off-road. The four of hop out, get out our camping out of the trunk and wait for Bryan and Alex to arrive.

"Ah, the great outdoors," said William.

"What's so great about the outdoors?" I asked.

"There are many wonders out there exploring the outdoors, Max. Animal nature, environmental wilderness, whatever it'd be. Adventure is out there."

"So where are we going, Dad?" Chloe asked. "Where do we set up the tent?"

"Well, first, Chloe, we got to take a hike through the woods first. Brought a map with us so we're not lost. We'll be setting up camp near the Wilson River. We'll go there as soon as Bryan and Alex are here."

"My brother and niece should be here by now," said Dad. "Or at least I thought they'd get here first since they've done more camping then we have."

"Give them time, Ryan," said William. "Let's get our things out of the car while we wait."

"Look, it's them," I said.

I pointed out another car that belonged to my uncle and the vehicle pulled over by ours. Then my Uncle Bryan and Cousin Alex hopped and I was happy to see them both.

"Alex, you're here!" I shouted.

"Max, you're here!" Alex shouted.

I run up to my big cousin and give a big hug and smile. Unfortunately, Alex is the tighter hugger.

"Oh, you're so adorable!" Alex squeaked. "I could squeeze you so much!"

"Ah, not so tight, Alex," I gasped. "Not so tight…"

Alex releases me and then I owed Bryan a hug next.

"Max, look at you," said Bryan. "Aren't you a big girl now."

"Uncle Bryan," I said.

I hug my uncle and caress my arms around his big waist to give him all my loving. Then he lets me go to greet Dad next.

"How's it going, Bryan?" Dad asked.

"Good to see you too, Ryan," said Bryan.

The two brothers hugged and Bryan greeted William and Chloe next. Dad made sure to hug Alex too. I also had to introduce Chloe to Alex as well.

"Alex, this is my best friend Chloe from Arcadia Bay," I said introducing one another. "Chloe, this is my cousin Alex from Seattle."

"So your Chloe," said Alex. Shaking her hand. "Good to meet you."

"And you must be Max's distant relative," said Chloe. Shaking hands back.

"I say, what's with the getup? Wait a minute, are you…?"

I noticed from the second Alex stepped out of the car that she was wearing a brown leather jacket and a fedora hat. I knew exactly who she was dressed as. She cleared her throat to explain.

"I, Chloe," began Alex. "Am Professor Henry Jones, Jr. Archeologist and action hero. AKA, Indiana Jones."

"Alex, what are you wearing?" Dad wondered.

"Forgive me, Ryan," said Bryan. "But Alex insisted she'd wear her Indiana Jones costume to the trip. You know how she is."

"You still obsessed with those movies, Alex?" Dad asked.

"Oh, Uncle R," said Alex. "You've got no sense of drama. You all could really use some of that right about now."

"As long as the three them have a good time," said William. "We'll need all the drama we can get."

"And you are?"

"Oh, forgive my manners, dear. I'm William. Chloe's father. You call me Mr. Price if you will. Or Bill as Joyce calls me."

"Right. And Joyce is Chloe's mother. The one from the diner. Max told me everything now that I remember."

"Let's gear up, everybody. It's a long hike to the Wilson and daylight's burning."

Chloe, Alex, and I got out our camping gear out of the trunks of our cars and carried them behind our back using backpacks. The load was heavier than the school supplies we carry with our school backpacks, but it should be that far to the Wilson River when carrying our gear. At least, I hope.

William and Bryan had maps with them and the two lead the way in front of Dad, Chloe, Alex, and I. The two dads made great tour guides for the Tillamook grounds.

"How far do we have to walk, Daddy?" Chloe asked. "This load is heavy."

"It's not far, Chloe," said William. "Just a few miles walk is all we need."

While our fathers lead the path in front of us, my best friend, my cousin, and I followed behind them and started talking adventure. Knowing how my cousin is like, I know she has much to discuss.

"So, Max," said Alex. "How's school?"

"Pretty good, I guess," I replied. "I've just managed to get through fourth grade going on fifth and barely survived math if it weren't for Chloe and her dad helping me all the time."

"Oh, you know you love math, Max," said Chloe. "We both do, don't we?"

"We both not."

"We both too."

"We both not."

"We both too."

"Okay, children," said Alex. "How about we change the subject. Shall we?"

"What subject, Alex?" I asked. "An Indiana Jones subject?"

"Not entirely in a manner of speaking but even better. Look what Dad got me for my birthday. Check it out."

Alex pulled out a strange looking rectangular object out of her pocket and showed it to Chloe and I. I've seen many strange artificial objects from Alex but not this one.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's a replica of the Eon Codex. Inscribed with King Arthur's motto 'No sacrifice, no victory'."

"King Arthur?" Chloe thought. "Wasn't he the king of England during the fifth or sixth century?"

"Well, he was the king of the Britain defense, yes. But there's more to it than that, Chloe. What you don't know about King Arthur is that he was also the leader of a secret cult known as the Order of Saint Loomis. Run by him and his fellow knights of the round table. This codex was used as a device to activate what Arthur called the Ark of Genesis."

"The Ark of Genesis?" I wondered. "What's that?"

"Maybe Dad could tell you the rest of the story tonight when we get the fire started. How's that sound?"

"Well, I'd sure love a good ghost story about King Arthur," said Chloe. "I'm in."

"It's not so much a ghost story as it is a legend. Max, are you in?"

"I think we're all in, Alex," I replied. "We're all in."

Max – Age 21 (POV)  
Alex – Age 25  
July 22nd, 2017  
9:52 AM  
Mediterranean Sea  
50 miles from the Italian Coast

**Present day…**  
**Two hours earlier…**

Alex and I had left Rome over an hour ago on our way to Meridian Prime and the Mediterranean Islands where the Time Shard was in place. I sat back near the rear of the boat while Alex was driving it across the Mediterranean Sea. I've never traveled on the water this far out away from land. Not even out in the infinite Pacific away from the shores of Arcadia Bay. Though I've always imagined where I'd go from that far out every time, I gazed the shore by the lighthouse. It was so peaceful and empty driving on the vastness of the open water. Like playing pirate ship on a swing set with Chloe only in the real world.

As I sat back gazing at infinity and beyond the emptiness of the sea with the engine rumbling in my ears, I couldn't stop thinking about last night. Chloe must be tearing herself out on Bryan's plane right now betrayed by my promise. I could see Mom and Dad right now on the refugee ship they're on heartbroken about my lie as well if Chloe had already sent word to them. Which she had. I look at the text messages on my phone arguing with my parents about how I lied to them too. Texting them all the excuse I could make for them and all the nonsense about my mission with Alex helping Chrysalis. As well as the questioning of how Alex is alive on the phone too.

I put my phone away to drop my dwellings and shift attention to the mission that still stands. Get that Time Shard, go to Meridian Prime, find the Ark of Genesis, and stop Ares from destroying half the population once and for all. That's if I survive the journey and live to tell the tale. Which I may not.

"Hey, Max!" Alex called.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Land Ho!"

I walk to Alex behind the wheel and stand next to her to see a small glimpse of land through the windshield. Land ho indeed.

"What do you think 'bout that, huh?" Alex asked.

"That's pretty cool," I answered.

"Take the wheel for a second."

I take the steering wheel for Alex as I'm told to and she walks to the back of the boat to get out some beers for us to drink. I may be twenty-one, but I've at least drank a few times to get used to alcohol now.

"You know," said Alex. "All this running around, surviving by the skin of our teeth…I don't think we've actually taken a moment…to step back and appreciate…just how far we've come. Huh?"

Alex lends me a bottle of beer to drink and has one for herself to drink too.

We open the bottles and toast to how far we've come.

"No sacrifice, no victory," said Alex.

"No sacrifice, no victory," I repeated.

We hit our bottles and drink up. I shouldn't probably drink while driving either. At least I'm not on land doing it. Don't know what's worse. Alex knew I was still concerned about Chloe and my parents and how they attacked me with text messages all night. As my big cousin, she supported me all she could.

"Listen, little cousin," said Alex. "She will get over it. I mean we help Chrysalis finish a war like this, anyone would. And your parents, it won't be easy for them to accept either. But they'll grow out of it as well. Eventually."

"I don't know," I said. "You really don't know Chloe as I do. Since the day William died, she really hasn't been the person to take tragedy lightly. She and I may have been at peace from what we'd gone through in Arcadia Bay, but now I've probably only made it worse for her. And don't get me started with my parents. We both know how they've felt about you dragging me into things like this."

"When a bridge burns, another one is rebuilt. It all began the day Chloe's father was killed. The same occurred during your reunion in Arcadia Bay, it happened in Portland, and it'll happen now."

**Note: Welcome back to Eternity War, readers and followers! It's been a long four months since and I can assure you all after the hiatus writing the finale to The Lost Daughter, it'll be well worth the wait! That's if college is easy on me and so is everything else, I do in my life as well. Be advised, this is the episode where the stakes will grow deeper in my concluding story and we may start to lose characters along the way. For spoiler's sake, can't say who, but no one will be safe. Not even Max and Alex. Nor David and Cayce. **

**I'm also wanting to flesh out Ares more in the backstory to come and yes, I'm finally writing the backstory I've been waiting to write for a long time coming. Which is the camping trip Max, Alex, and Chloe went on during their youth when William was still around two years before the events of Farewell and has been mentioned a few times in this story now. Which is where I may tell the backstory of Ares in one of the flashback chapters to come.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden! And Happy Valentine's Day!**


	2. The Enemy Within

Chapter 2 The Enemy Within

David – Age 49 (POV)  
Joyce – Age 51  
July 22nd, 2017  
9:01 AM  
North Atlantic Ocean  
USCC Oregon

The Oregon had diverted course to the Atlantic to get to the Mediterranean Sea where Lebanon shored and where our next mission would take place. The debriefing was in an hour and I sat down in the mess hall for a drink at the bar table. I took a glass of bourbon and sipped on it. Thinking about my harsh decision in hiding Kristine's relations with the Herd of Whales. Dwelling upon how I can live with myself with something that would disgrace my marriage, my fatherhood, and my career.

At the very least, Kate was safe and sound on the refugee deck with her family as well Warren, Brook, and all the other MIT students on board. Dean Nelson was making herself comfortable too. It would also seem that I've also brought nearly the entire Blackwell band back together considered. Victoria and the former Vortex gang turned Berkeley fraternity, Warren and the MIT, and now Kate with the rest of the Marshes and her Christian community. Then there's the former Arcadia Bay District Attorney turned San Fran senator/Chrysalis Ambassador. Bringing the Arcadia Bay band together on the Oregon. Not just Blackwell.

Joyce had walked into the mess hall to check on me and talk. She sat down next to me on the bar table I was drinking at.

"You look quiet today," said Joyce. "The war still beating you down?"

"In a way," I replied. "I'm not even sure if I wanna talk about it."

"You don't have to. It's all up to you."

"Tell me, Joyce. You ever had to keep secrets from someone you cared about? From Chloe for instance?"

"That's coming from the man who has kept secrets from someone he's cared about before. If you have something to say that I deserve to know about, I'd appreciate if you do."

I sighed and put down my drink. Joyce was right. I shouldn't risk any more secrets to be kept from or Chloe. But the more people know who Kristine really is, the greater the chance she'll be disgraced from Chrysalis. Here goes nothing.

"Its Kristine," I admitted. "Cayce and I are keeping something from the team for her. Maybe even the rest of Chrysalis with that. Which could cost me everything I've worked for to get to where I am."

"And what is it that you're keeping for her?" Joyce asked.

"Let's just say there was a time when she was leagued with an avowed enemy to Chrysalis and there's something permanently marked on her that can't allow her to escape that past. Despite having cut all ties with that enemy."

"What enemy? It's not ConDef, is it?"

"It goes beyond ConDef. Consider that confidential for both our sakes. That's all I'll be able to tell you."

"Chloe texted and said she was coming aboard here with Rachel and that Frank guy. As well as with some other people she's with."

"Chloe's coming here? To the Oregon? I thought she was going to Aaron and Linda's?"

"She changed her mind and I don't blame her. No one's safe in the country anymore. Even less safe than 9/11. Which can't be measured to what ConDef has done."

"Oh, Chloe. Once a rebel. Always a rebel."

"You should probably go to the refugee deck. Ryan and Ness need you and I think it's about Max."

* * *

When I heard the name Max, it was immediately taking me back to what I assumed Ares was bluffing about back at the chapel in Canyon Springs. I marched out of the mess hall and back to the refugee deck to find out if what he had said was true. I walk into the triage in the sanctuary where Ryan and V were camped in but find James and Rose inside instead.

"Where's Vanessa and Ryan?" I asked them.

"They're in the restroom if you need them," replied Rose. "They said they needed you."

"Nothing wrong with the two of you?"

"Nothing wrong with the two of us, David," said James. "Except that

Rachel and Frank are coming aboard. With your step-daughter Chloe."

"Rachel's coming along too? Why?"

"Best we don't talk about it. Better if you talk to Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield. We can talk later, Commander."

I step inside the men's restroom where I guessed Ryan would take his wife to and there they were. The two of them were quiet. Vanessa was leaning over a sink with tears on her face I had seen in the mirror while her husband laid his hand behind her back. Ryan had a devastated look on himself as well. Something tells me this confirmed what I denied about back in Canyon. Only one way to tell for sure.

"Vanessa?" I said. "Ryan?"

"David!" Vanessa gasped. "You're here!"

Vanessa instantly caresses her arms around me for a hug. I wrap my arms around her too. Still indecision of what she and Ryan were emotional about.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Is it Max? Did something happen to her?"

"No, no," whelped Vanessa. Releasing her caress. "Nothing happened to her. But it still could."

"Ryan? What's going on here?"

"I need to be alone."

Vanessa marched out of the restroom without an answer. Evading my presence. It was up to Ryan now to grant me the answers.

"Ryan, you brought me here and now I'm here," I reminded him. "What's going on with Max?!"

"She lied," answered Ryan.

"She what?"

"Max lied about her new job. Chloe told us on the phone that she's screwing around on the other side of the world getting involved with ConDef business. Not to mention my niece is alive. Max's cousin Alex is alive. And my brother Bryan is with them. My FUCKING brother!"

Ryan slammed his fist against the sink like an angry gorilla. I jump a little. Max of all people actually getting involved in the seed of this war. Meaning what Ares said was true.

"Calm the fuck down, Ryan," I said.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Ryan roared. "My daughter is out there breaking her vows of never getting into her non-sense again! An agreement Nessa and I made with Max a long time ago! And now she's at it again."

"Her time superpowers?"

"Yes, that again."

I scoffed. Ares was never getting in my head after all.

"Son of a bitch!" I hissed.

"Is that all you have to say?" Ryan muttered.

"No, Ryan, that is not all I have to say! I'm right there with you but care to elaborate the conflict here?!"

"I've been on the phone with her arguing nonsense to me about being some certified chosen one to end the war by traveling to some middle of nowhere island. Something she called the Ark of Genesis. Just some old fable her and Alex obsessed about years ago."

"Who's Alex now? Your niece? Max's cousin? Didn't know she had one. You said you had a brother too?"

"Bryan. His name's Bryan. Speaking of, he's the one that got Max involved. Max also said some wild things about Eternity Shards and all that jazz. I can't even explain what only she can."

"How does this exactly involve in ConDef's intuition?"

"Can't explain that either. I don't know about you, David, but I believe something died in Max back in Arcadia Bay when I sent her back there. Something I believed she ended back during Triple 4."

"What do you mean died in her? What's this have to with Arcadia Bay and Triple 4?"

"Everything. Her time powers, the Arcadia storm, the Blackwell shooting, the invasion in Portland, and now this. It's all coming back to her."

"What's the story behind your brother and niece? How come you never told Joyce and me about them?"

"There was a time when Max and Alex grew close to one another some years back when we first moved to Seattle. And before that, Chloe got to know Alex as well during a camping trip to the Tillamook back when they were just kids. And when Bill was still around. During our time in Seattle, Max's relationship with Alex was pretty mixed compared to hers with Chloe."

"I'm pretty sure Chloe's relationship with Max was a mixed bag as well."

"This is different. While I always appreciated Max getting along with Alex as she did with Chloe, there was something about them that my brother influenced my daughter and niece that brought them to a tragic turn of events. About five years ago, before I sent Max back, Alex brought her into the craziest incident ever. The two broke into a museum with some friend of theirs. They were caught. And then, the guards shot Alex to death in a sewer they tried escaping through and the police caught Max and her friends and arrested them."

"Jesus Christ! Max of all people, breaking into museums?! I've seen Blackwell kids get expelled for less than things like that. Including Chloe. What museum guards would just go in and shoot at intruders?"

"Max almost was expelled for what she did until the Principal decided to suspend her instead. Then she was put under house arrest for eight months. The police never found Alex's body and was presumed dead. We had the funeral. And then I told Bryan to stay out of Max's life after that nightmare happened. When Max's house arrest was lifted, she was excepted into Blackwell and on her way back to the bay."

"So is Alex still alive after getting shot years ago? Even if her body wasn't recovered. And how is she coming back just now after falsifying her death all those years?"

"That's a story only Max will be able to explain. Assuming we see her eye to eye again. It doesn't help that she brought Rachel Amber, Rachel's boyfriend, and Max friends from Seattle into it as well. Goddamn you, Max."

"Rachel was part of this too?"

"Yes she was and Max tells me Chloe, Rachel, Bryan, and the others are coming to the Oregon now. Her and Alex on their own which I don't appreciate."

"Ryan, I get it. Okay? But don't underestimate your daughter. She's a fighter. I've seen enough action come out of her back during Triple 4 for me to believe she's more than what you say. More than what I've said about her too. Which all began the day Max hit a fire alarm that saved Chloe from being shot and killed by my lieutenant's brother. And I know she can live through whatever she's up to now with the war in play."

"I should let you go, David. I have to check on Vanessa. Nice talking to you."

* * *

I step out of the restroom as Ryan does and check on the people I rescued at the MIT, Canyon, and San Fran. I must believe Rachel confessed her involvement to her parents Rose and James and that's what they were referring to when I saw them in their triage.

I enter the triage where most of the Blackwell refugees are camped in. Victoria, her boyfriend Freddy, and her friends looked bored playing with their phones and reading books. There was no sign of Juliet however who I know was with them. Warren and Brooke were at table with the girl named Steph and the boy named Hayden who was in Victoria's group. All playing a tabletop game on the table they were sitting at. Some kind of Superhero tabletop game as it looked like.

"Ultron takes Captain America's shield," said Steph. Narrating the game.

"And snaps it in half with his grasp. Leaving cap disarmed with only his bare fist as the last resort."

"Ah, come on!" Warren whined. "Cap's shield doesn't snap in half in Age of Ultron and it sure as hell doesn't break in Civil War either."

"Well if you hadn't rolled a two," said Brooke. "It wouldn't have."

"Says the girl who has Mjolnir for her hero's weapon. That never breaks."

"If I rolled a five or over," said Hayden. "What could Black Widow do?"

"You all look like your enjoying yourselves," I said. Approaching the tabletop gang.

"Oh, hey, David," said Warren. "What's new?"

"David Madsen," said Steph. "Welcome to our domain. What brings the former Blackwell cop turned Chrysalis veteran to the house?"

"Just checking in and making sure everyone I know here is getting comfortable at the sanctuary," I replied. "Looks like you all have something to do here. What kind of game are you playing?"

"We're playing Marvel Tabletop Heroes. Attempting to reenact the battle of Sokovia from Avengers: Age of Ultron and failing utterly. There's always room for one more player. Want to join?"

"No thank you, miss. Looks like you have plenty of players already."

"We're also running out of players considering Cap only has his bare fist left to fend for himself," said Warren.

"Well you all have fun with your board games then," I said. "Take care."

"You too, David. Now, where were we?"

I walk to where Victoria and her friends are hanging out and most of them are passed out from boredom. A couple of college kids with nothing do but sit in a tent on a Chrysalis freighter away from their war-torn home. I feel bad for them in a way I do. Victoria was reading a book and leaning against the wall next to Freddy who was playing a mobile game on his phone. Courtney and Taylor were passed out on their bunks and so were Steph's friends Kerry and Johnny. Dana sat down on the floor eating some rations. Juliet was out of sight as I first noticed. I talked to Victoria and Freddy when I did.

"How are you all holding up?" I asked them. "You don't look so well."

"No, David," admitted Victoria. "We don't. Our lives have been shit since day 1. Aside from a high school reunion we've had on board, it doesn't say much as to how strict it's been living here on this deck."

"Unless you'd rather play that Steph chick's bloody tabletop games," said Freddy. "I'd rather play Mustard Party 2 on my device. Dammit! Cheeky vultures!"

I sighed.

"I know it's been a rough couple of weeks since Berkeley," I said. "But the best advice I can give is just to hang in there until this war is over. It'll blow over eventually and then you can all go back to being normal fraternity kids again. It'll be over soon."

"That's what every authority has been saying until now too," said Victoria.

"And I know they're running out of excuses as we speak. They won't even allow photography here. I could really use some photographs that'll make a good war album for my photography projects at Berkeley. If we could ever get back there that is."

"I could give you clearance to shoot some photos for whatever you have to do. If that satisfies your boredom."

"Really? You could?"

"I could talk to security right now and ask for a permit under my authority. How does that sound?"

"That would be great, David. I'd really appreciate it."

"Have you seen Juliet anywhere? I didn't see here when I walked in."

"Juliet's actually been looking for you," said Dana. "She wanted to interview you about your efforts in the war for her journalism project if that's okay. If you catch her, just say the word if you accept."

"How 'bout Kate and her family? Have you seen them?"

"They're next door to our triage if you want to see them," said Victoria.

"It's good that you saved them from this war when you did. Kate and her sisters looked traumatized from they went through and we all managed to make Kate's day for her when she got here."

"Take care, Victoria. You and your friends have seen better days."

"Au revoir."

I walk to the triage next door and find the Marsh family getting comfortable inside. Kate and her sisters Laura and Lynn were playing around with dolls and telling Bible stories with one another. Kate's parents Richard and Mary were sitting next to each and talking. I spoke to them before I could speak to Kate.

"Commander Madsen," said Richard. "God bless your soul for saving my family."

"Mr. and Mrs. Marsh," I said. "I hope you and the girls are satisfied with your stay at the sanctuary."

"For the moment being," said Mary. "We sure are, Commander. Kate and her sisters will find peace where they belong and so will we. The lord gifts us with his providence. We're also pleased Kate has friends from Blackwell onboard. At least she won't be alone with my younger daughters."

"Was there something you wanted for us?" Richard asked.

"Just checking in with everyone I've rescued throughout this war," I answered. "I also came here to apologize about what happened back in Canyon Springs at the church."

"Everyone including us is alive because of you," said Richard. "Why would need to apologize?"

"Because you and everyone in that church could've been dead because of me as well had it gone the opposite way. I nearly costed those lives tricking Ares and pretending to give up what we came there for to him and I'm severely lucky he was bluffing."

"None of that is your fault, David. Even if not everyone made it out alive, we were in a difficult position from the start. And if it makes you feel better, what Kate tried to do to herself at Blackwell isn't your fault either. Thanks to her friend Max who subverted that incident for her."

"Don't mind if I check on Kate and her sisters, do you?"

"Not at all. She's over there with Lynn and Laura if you wish."

"Thank you. Glad we talked."

"As you were, Commander."

I walk over to Kate playing with her sisters and talk to her. When Kate notices me behind her, she's proud to see me. Proud enough to hug me once again as she did in the basement of her home.

"David!" She snapped happily. Holding me tight as she could.

"You're awfully too kind to a person who's hurt you badly," I scoffed.

"Usually people like Chloe isn't someone as forgiving as you are."

"David, I owe you big time after what happened in Canyon Springs. You deserve all the kindness you'll get from me."

"How are you and your siblings holding up? Things were pretty rough back in Canyon."

"We're fine for now. Laura and I were just reenacting some bible stories with Lynn's toys. I'm also glad to have seen Victoria, Warren, and everyone I used to know at Blackwell. Small world we're living in when it comes to this war."

"Well, I hope you find peace here on this deck. It's getting pretty here for refugees."

"David, I've been to ask you. Back there at the church, that voice we heard. The one that used your name and Max's name too. Whoever he was, whatever he said, was it true, David? Is Max really involved in what he said she was?"

I take a second to think about what to say to Kate and what I just learned about Max and how Kate would react to it. Should I really tell the truth to her or should I keep it from her? I know Max liked Kate and she'd deserve to know what's going on with her. This is what I say to Kate.

"Let's just say I can't confirm nor deny whatever Ares said," I answered.

"But if what he said was true, I'll make sure nothing bad happens to Max. You have my word."

"Thanks, David. Despite our differences, I know you're more than what people say about you. You really are."

I smiled in response to Kate's compliment. Then someone drops in to ask me for an interview.

"David, there you are!" The girl said from behind me. "I'm Juliet if you remember me. I'm with Victoria. You saved us back in-"

"I know who you are, Ms. Watson," I interrupted. "I've known each and every one of you former Blackwell attendees from the back of my hand. I've been told you wanted an interview with me. Why?"

"I used to write for the Blackwell Totem and now I've been writing for the Berkeley Bulletin since freshman year. I wanted to interview you about the war to make up for my assignments that were supposed to be due two weeks ago before ConDef struck the place. Perhaps you can help."

"You have three minutes for an interview. Ask away and make it quick. I have a debriefing in forty-five."

Juliet and I walk out of the triage and sit someplace for the interview. I answer any questions I have time to answer as Juliet asks them. The girl herself has a pencil and paper to write down the answers for her scripted questions.

"Commander David Madsen," begins Juliet. "Your record shows that you enlisted in 2015 and have served the Chrysalis military division since. Eventually earning the rank of Commander. What made you want to join the corps when you did?"

"Back during the Triple 4 attack in Portland," I said. "I volunteered during the operation to take down Derrick Crosby and Neo-Chrys with the help of my step-daughter Chloe Price, Max Caulfield, Rachel Amber, and Frank Bowers. Since then, I thought I'd find my calling and ambition with Chrysalis."

"You were in Seattle when ConDef attacked. What were you doing in Seattle at that time?"

"It was Independence Day at the time of the attack and I was with my wife Joyce, Max's parents, my team, and Admiral Penske celebrating. I was also riding a Seahawk in the sky with everyone else and barely survived a crash caused by a hacked AA gun. Which was when the attack had started."

"Back in San Francisco, Senator Amber when the attack was coming. Why didn't he warn everyone about the imminent incident sooner?"

"That answer is classified, Juliet. The simplified answer, Amber couldn't confirm the attack was coming until he had sufficient intel. Not something bull."

"One more question. Its said that Canyon Springs was an odd place for ConDef to intrude. Why go there?"

Then the intercom rang. Paging my name and other close people of my team.

"Commander David Madsen, report to CIC at once. David Madsen."

"I think this interview is over. Sounds like I'm going to CIC early."

"Before you go, Commander, I just like to say that I might have a future at the Chrysalis News Network. I'm glad we had this interview. Thanks for your time."

"Chrysalis News Network sounds like the best career opportunity for you. Good day now."

* * *

After my Q and A with Juliet, I march to CIC on the bridge of the Oregon. Wondering why my presence was needed. Something tells me it was going to be the end of my service with Chrysalis. Or perhaps someone else's.  
When entering CIC, the room was vacant except for Admiral Penske and Cayce who were the only two people present. Perhaps Penske asked Captain Harvest and his crewmen to leave the room so we could speak alone privately. A look of disgust is on the admiral's face and Cayce has a look of guilt. I instantly know what this is about now.

"You have something to say to me, Commander?" Penske asked.  
I sighed. You son of a bitch, Cayce.

"So you know," I said.

Kristine walked in the room and saw the three of us alone. She felt the same way I did when I walked in. A heart racing and a nerve tingling.

"Lieutenant Prescott," said Penske. "How nice to see you here."  
The young Prescott woman in the Chrysalis uniform stared at Cayce and me with a heartbreaking frown. Then scoffed and shielded her face with her hand feeling crushed about what she now must confront.

"And by the look on your face," continued Penske. "I shouldn't have to ask do you deny what Corporal Foley had just informed me of."

"Admiral, let me explain," said Kristine.

"I shouldn't have to explain that what you have hidden under that uniform is treason and a capital offense to all Chrysalis jurisdiction! Not to mention punishable by court-martial and imprisonment!"

"Admiral-"

"Not another word! You should all be aware that the Herd of Whales is an avowed enemy to Chrysalis now in league with ConDef! As for you, Madsen, care to justify harboring the truth behind Prescott's former relations?"

"For starters," I begin. "I was only hiding the truth until the time was right. Something the corporal seems to have gone against my orders on. Also, Kristine is more than what Cayce has told you."

"Is that so?" Penske thought. "Then perhaps the lieutenant can speak for herself. Well?"

"Admiral," begins Kristine. "With all due respect, I've burned that bridge with the herd. I've cut all ties with them a long time ago since the day I enlisted. Having no reason to commit such treason at all."

"And yet, here we stand with you secret unearthed. Treason is treason, lieutenant. So tell me another one."

"If you think somehow, I'm some snitch for ConDef, you have it all wrong. I joined Chrysalis to redeem my family's title from the corruption of terrorism and force labor my father brought upon the family with Neo-Chrysalis. The corruption that killed my brother almost killed Max Caulfield, and turned Arcadia Bay into a wasteland. I deserve all the redemption I can get between service in the corps and my mother's leadership as CEO."

"You have my sympathy for what your family has gone through. But if you believe your service in Chrysalis will thwart your comeuppance with the enemy within, you're only running away from a bitter reality that already is."

"In a way, Admiral," I said. "She is not wrong. I have all people who know her better than anyone know that she isn't like the other Prescotts in her lineage. I trust her enough with my own life to believe that."

"You would vouch for a traitor over everything Chrysalis stand for? Is that what your telling me, Commander?"

"What I'm telling you is that Kristine is not a traitor. She's also not a loyalist either. She's a complicated woman raised by a complicated family and despite the complex circumstances, trusting her is a risk I'm prepared to take. Not because she deserves a second chance, but because I'm the damn best great judge of character you'll know for my team."

"Your judge of character will not say much to defend her secrecy. I have heard enough. Lieutenant Prescott, you are hereby ousted from the upcoming mission as well as every other mission beyond. You'll be escorted to the brig, relieved from duty, and I'll have a court-martial scheduled for when this war is done. Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?"

"Admiral Penske," said Kristine. "Let's-"

"Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Commander, if you have anything else in defense of Lieutenant Prescott, please say so now."

**X/SQUARE/LM – DEFEND KRISTINE**

**B/CIRCLE/RM – ARREST KRISTINE**

"As a matter of fact, Admiral," I said. "I do have something to say in her defense. Let her stay on the mission."

"What?" Cayce thought.

"Excuse me?" Penske asked.  
"Penske, Kristine is the only person on the team who knows the herd better than anyone. Think about how valuable she could be if our next assignment could be connected to the herd or such."

"Define valuable."

"Kristine has an aunt leading the herd. Joanna Prescott who we know is allied with Elias Alkaline and the rest of the ConDef army. Say if anything were to turn up on the mission that would relate to that, Kristine could have an angle we're unaware of. Keep her off the mission and it may just go south. Think about that for once and her knowledge just may prove crucially vital. Her disloyalty and betrayal aside."

"People say you're a stubborn man, Madsen. And now I see how. But for the record, now that you've brought this up, then so be it. Prescott, as far as I concerned, you will not be removed from the mission. Instead of the brig, you'll be confined to your quarters from here on and will not leave without an escort. But your court-martial stands. We'll be reviewing your personal accounts for any evidence of you leaking Chrysalis details to ConDef, the herd, or any adversaries alike."

"I won't make you regret this, Admiral," said Kristine. "My actions will speak louder than my words and I'll face the consequences of my betrayal by whatever means necessary."

"I know you will, Lieutenant. As for you, Commander, I'm putting a disciplinary reprimand on your Chrysalis status for the secrecy. Should you ever keep secrets like this again, you'll be finding yourself wiping showers at Apex Station. Dismissed."

* * *

Everyone in Valor Team gathered around to discuss Kristine's treachery. The team was shocked about this news and Cage was far from pleased. So unpleased, he spanked Kristine across the face super hard. As it sickens me to see Kristine like this thanks to Cayce, I knew the truth would come out somehow anyway.

"I should've known better than to trust a Prescott on the team!" Cage yelled. "Motherfucker!"

"Captain, please," said Kristine.

"Don't 'Captain, please' me! One, I don't appreciate this being kept for us! Two, you Prescott shits make me sick! First, a tornado storm that kills my family, then a school shooting we're manipulated into, now a Bitch of Whales member on my team. I should've rejected your ass out of here when I had the chance."

"If we've come to gloat about my former affairs, Captain, we can do it elsewhere!"

"Former?" Heard thought. "We may have just let a fox slip into our henhouse, and you defend that mark on your arm by calling it former? You've brought this on yourself, sweet pee."

"Believe it or not, it is former. And don't call me sweet pee!"

"I'll call you whoever the hell you are, Krissy!"

"Both of you, can it!" Cage ordered. "When did you know about this, David? Were and Cayce actually going to tell us about this?"

"No, we weren't, Captain," I answered. "We found out about this when we rescued the Marsh Family back in Canyon County. I specifically ordered Cayce not to expose Kristine about what she was hiding. At the time being, I was his superior officer to have the authority to say so. It wasn't until now that Cayce exposed her to Penske against my orders."

Cage scoffed.

"Listen carefully, David," he said. "As your superior officer, I get the final say. Not you. You've nearly costed this team's reputation with your secrecy. You should be lucky Cayce took advantage of your orders when he did. I'm even more surprised you've managed to defend our lieutenant's ass and convinced Penske to stay on the team. I'm disappointed in you, Kristine. Such a disgrace."

"You can be disappointed all you like, Cage," said Kristine. "It's not my fault my family is fucked up as it is."

"I don't care who's fault it is! If you think you can earn back your family's honor with that mark on, you've barked up the wrong tree here. A traitor like you doesn't deserve that uniform. Nor does she deserve to be on this team and on the mission."

"Call me what you will. From my point of view, I'm neither a traitor nor a loyalist. I'm a complicated individual raised by a complicated family who has lived and died in a complicated reality brought upon themselves. And the only people who have disagreed with that reality were my brother, my mom, and me. Penske has permitted me to be on the mission, but I'm still be punished as a result of my crime."

"Penske is letting a herd member into the mission?" Logos wondered.

"Doesn't sound like the Penske I know."

"I agree," said Mason. "Captain, for all we know, she could compromise the mission at any time when the opportunity is given to her. She's either on our side or still turning traitor. We cannot allow Penske to let her on. We should take a vote on this at least."

"Forget it, Mason," said Cage. "I'm not wasting my breath butting heads with Penske and no vote would mean anything to him except his. We're done here. Logos, Newblood, escort Prescott to her quarters where she'll be confined. Everyone else, debriefing's in fifteen. Don't be late."

* * *

As soon as the debriefing came to order and was in session, I stood next to Penske with everyone else sitting down for their orders. An image of General Alkaline was projected onscreen to begin the debrief.

"This whack job had been juicing his boys to invade the middle east," said Penske. "Lebanon has lost control and they've asked for our help. Now just five minutes ago, I was on the phone with President Trump. He called it. We now have an alliance with the Lebanese resistance in Beirut."

"ConDef has been occupying Middle-Eastern territory for over a year," I said. "A plan set by Alkaline to start an all-out war between the middle east and ConDef themselves."

I project the global map on screen and highlight Lebanon and its capital city of Beirut.

"We just got intel that the leader of the resistance group Fehr Dhaled is stationing refugees and his fighters in the Al Zarif valley," I continued.

"His numbers have decreased by the dozens and we'll be sending in four-hundred men for reinforcements."

Then I project onscreen of our special intel based on our prime objective. The key reason we're entering the war in Beirut.

"We've also received special intel based on our prime objective of the mission," I said. "Dr. Kara Hendricks. A senior science officer of Chrysalis under resistance custody for a special project set in a dig site near the warzone. Project Tesseract as they call it. This project will help saboteur the enemy's objective of the war and gain us a set further into winning it. We don't know any further details regarding Project Tesseract. So, we'll learn more once we're there. Our two objectives are old school. Help the resistance and protect Project Tesseract. Don't miss."

Penske approached me and to grasp my hand and shake it hard like a man. I was going to need it.

"Good luck, Commander," he said. "This is it. You have to help Dhaled and his men defend Beirut against Continuum and help Dr. Hendricks protect her project. You fuck it up and our military supremacy is just a wet dream."

**Note: Expect more recurring characters from previous stories and the stakes to be raised higher in this episode of Eternity War as said before. As well as some new minor villains who will be in league with Ares and ConDef and Kristine may not be the only character in this story to have secretly worked with the Herd of Whales. This will be even tighter than the last. Now on my way to get back to my normal life and see How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	3. At Sea

Chapter 3 At Sea

Max  
July 22nd, 2017  
9:58 AM  
Mediterranean Islands  
Mediterranean Sea

I stopped the boat a quarter mile to the small islands where the Time Shards was being treasured. The small land wasn't as big as I expected, but I know Meridian Prime would be even bigger. If what Clotho said back in that chamber was true, here's hoping the Caulfield cousins weren't lost at sea.

"Huh," said Alex. "Somehow I imagined it…bigger."

"Yeah," I said. "Well, we're definitely in the right place. I'll find us a spot to set ashore."

I drove the boat further into the land to find a place to park it ashore. I may have never driven a boat before, but I was learning faster than learning what John Lennon said about what happens in life while your busy making other plans.

"Well, I mean…at least there's an island, right?" Alex thought.

"At least there's an island," I repeated. "Just keep an eye out for anything man-made."

"Ah-ah, you mean knight made."

"Ha, sure."

"So, maybe Meridian Prime is more of a small beachside shack."

"Yeah, maybe it's a treehouse."

"Or maybe Arthur spent his entire fortune setting up this shard hunt…and ran out of money to actually build Meridian Prime."

I see a small bit of land I can dock the boat and I do so under Alex's approval. I park the boat near the sand, and we hop out to investigate for clues. I spot a wooden cross with a pile of sand that looked like it was burying something or someone. It was a burial of some sort and it was the first thing we spotted on this bit of land.

"Wonder what this guy's story was?" I wondered.

"Well, dead men tell no tales," replied Alex. "Hey, check out that cave."  
We walk to the small cave shaded from the sunlight and there's nothing but ancient junk inside. Looked to be something old expeditioners used to settle inside. Ezra's party perhaps.

"Supplies," I said. "From an earlier expedition."

"Huh," said Alex. "Okay."

Both of us poke around and I see an old letter lying around on a wooden barrel. I pick it up and read it to see it was from Ezra Prescott's son. The one who was killed in an automobile collision like William was.

"EPJ?" I thought. "Holy wowser, Alex! This was written by Ezra's son, Ezra Jr."

"Well, makes sense," said Alex. "His son went on the same crusade his father did. Must be following the same clues as us."

Alex and I return to the boat and I drive it around the land we walked to find further clues that either link to Arthur's ruins, Ezra's or son's journey, or the Time Shard. It was on the island somewhere and we wouldn't leave the island without it.

"Y'know, crazy worldwide shard hunt aside," said Alex. "Ezra had the right idea."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Lived by his own rules. Traveled the world. Made his victory his way."

"Sure. Apart from the huge bounty on his head."

"Come on. It all depends on how his story ends, right? Who knows? Maybe, in the end, it was all worth it."

I drive along another small bit of land to see the remains of a crashed sea ship that had gone under water. It's sail-posts had been sticking out over the surface and Alex spotted it at first sight.

"Max, over there!" Alex pointed. "It's a ship! Or what's left of one."

I dock on the small island with the downed ship and the two of us hop out for another quick stop. We snoop around some more old supply used by old expeditioners. Then I found another old letter inside an old satchel.

Written once again by Ezra Prescott Jr. Did Ezra's son even try finding a way to send these letters in his time? Perhaps a seagull could've delivered them as a pigeon would in WWI or an owl would in the Harry Potter universe? If they were ever delivered, they wouldn't still be here.

"You…do you think he found the shard?" Alex wondered.

"Well, he would've become pretty damn famous if he did," I replied. "So, I doubt it."

"I hope you're right."

"The grave we found was one of their crew."

The two of us are back on the boat. Driving it back to the bigger islands for our investigation. This was becoming one of the imaginary treasure hunts I used to have with Chloe playing pirates in our youth. Never did I think I'd be doing one literally once in a lifetime.

"It's a strange feeling," said Alex. "Like we're on the verge of something really great and I'm…I'm excited and terrified all at once. You have any idea what I'm talking about?"

I park the boat next to the shore of the bigger lands and we hop out again. Imagine the two of us as castaways stranded on this small island like Tom Hanks in his movie about it. Makes me wonder what Meridian Prime is really like on its own land.

"It might not be Meridian Prime," said Alex. "Sure, is gorgeous here, though."

"No argument there," I said.

"Max, up there!"

Alex pointed at a strange little tower above the trees that looked man-made enough for us to check and that's what we did.

"Well, that definitely qualifies as man-made," I said.

"Ah, ah," said Alex. "Knight-made. Let's find a way up to that tower."

"Yeah."

While traveling to the tower, we find a skeletal corpse tied to a wooden post as if the deceased being was executed on the spot. I familiarize myself with the corpse when I take the first glimpse.

"Whoa," I said. "It's the crazy guy from EJ's crew. They just left him here.  
That's not cool."

We continue our way to the tower, and I find something on the ground covered in leaves. I uncover what's covered and see a door of some kind that looks like it opens a passage to someplace. I ask where.

"Huh," I said. "It's a door of some kind. Cover a…chamber?"

"A massive chamber," said Alex. "For storing a Time Shard?"

"No way. Not by the god of time himself. Wherever Chronos put the shard's gonna be the most elaborate place we've seen yet. And it would be well protected too."

"That makes sense."

There were a small staircase and a little rope bridge to get to the tower. We walk up the stairs and across the bridge and the tower is before our eyes.

"Looks like an old lookout tower," said Alex. "Let's see if we can spot something from up there."

The two of us step inside the tower and see a ladder to climb up on. We climb the ladder and reach the top floor. Spotting something on the walls that looks like it could be pressed. A dusted tile with an arrow pointing up on it like a compass. Whatever it means.

"This looks promising," said Alex.

I brush off the dust to authenticate what we'd seen.

"Some kind of symbol," I said.

"Looks like a compass arrow," said Alex.

Without thinking twice, Alex presses the symbol with her hand and the walls open and window. Showing us where the so-called compass arrow was pointing in the direction outside.

"Wowser," I said. "How did you know to do that?"

"Well," said Alex. "If there's one thing I've learned from you, press everything."

I chuckled.

"Down there," pointed Alex. "The same symbol."

There was another symbol located next to our boat from where we spotted on the tower. They really must be compass arrows or some kind of trail marker to take us to our main objective.

"It's another arrow," I said.

"Let's go find out where it's pointing, huh?" Alex asked. "C'mon, boat's right below us."

"Yup."


	4. Beirut

Chapter 4 Beirut

David  
July 22nd, 2017  
2:35 PM  
Beirut, Lebanon  
Lebanon Airspace

My team was flying on Lynch's helicopter to Beirut. We would be landing in the Raoucheh shores and take a truck to travel to the Al Zarif district where the Dhaled's resistance base was located. The base was underground. So, we would also need to take a subway to travel there as well.

I was still concerned about Kristine and her possible conniving actions against Chrysalis. What if my gut had failed me? What if Kris was actually setting us up for something deeper than her relationship with the Herd of Whales? I'm praying for a chance at redemption and also keeping all eyes on her should she decide otherwise. I feel as if the more I learn about the Prescotts, the more skepticism I have for them.

"I can't believe Kristine would do this to us," said Flint. "Why would she?"

"It's complicated, Private," I said. "Let's not ask about that while she's with us."

"She shouldn't be, Commander," said Cayce. "You should've let her get locked up in the brig when Penske ordered to. How can you defend her after your experience with the Prescotts?"

"I said, let's not talk about that while she's with us."

"Like hell, David."

"Was my second in command not clear, Corporal?" Cage asked. "That's what I thought."

"The longer you dwell on this," said Kristine. "The less you fathom my complexity."

"Clayton, everyone," I said. "I think I have another confession to make for everybody. Everyone knows who Max Caulfield is, right?"

"The girl with the time powers from Arcadia Bay?" Heard thought. "What about her?"

"Her parents back on the Oregon informed me she's gotten herself involved in this war somehow. I don't know, but that's what Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield said to me earlier."

Everyone looked puzzled. Knowing who the famed time-powered girl was, never did they think she'd get involved in the war against ConDef.

"You did not just say that, David," denied Cage. "Max Caulfield of all people, in this war? Ha, that adorable soul barely made it out alive on Triple 4. She shot dozens of our troops thanks to Krissy's daddy. And now you're telling me she's trying to be a heroine in the middle of this war?"

"You don't need to believe me," I said. "But it's true. Should this somehow ever be brought up again, you all have the right to know."

"What's the situation with the rebels, Captain?" Mason asked. "And what do we do should Lieutenant Prescott cut and run?"

"With Kristine on our team under Penske's authority," said Cage "Our Chrysalis protection protocols are no longer secure. Any contact with the HOW could inadvertently compromise allied operations even further. As of now, we keep a good eye on her before she shoots us in the back."

"So, you're saying we're purposefully throwing ourselves to wolves with a herd member we're giving a loaded gun to?" Newblood asked.

"I don't like it either, Sergeant, but orders are orders. As for the resistance, we know ConDef's looking for surviving members of Project Tesseract. Elias Alkaline is off the grid and his whereabouts are unknown. Dr. Hendricks, however, is alive and well in Beirut. Our allies in the Lebanese army are holding her at Al Zarif Station. One of the few territories not to fall under the CDF. Colonel Dhaled will be waiting for us there. Mason, you and I will be accompanying Heard, Newblood, and Logos as soon as we land. Madsen, you take the usual gang with you. And be sure to keep a mag empty for the medic too. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"Noted, Captain," replied Mason.

I stare at Kristine who stares at me firmly. Feeling disgusted for letting our secret slip. She's either pissed at me or herself as for that.

"Kristine, you okay?" I rhetorically asked.

"Do I look okay, David?" She blunted. "Is that really all you have to ask for someone who's about to be court-martialed and convicted?"

"Your commanding officer is asking the questions, LT," said Cayce. "You have no one to be pissed at but yourself for someone who's the antagonist of this story."

"The only antagonists of this story you should be concentrated on are my aunt, Alkaline, and the so-called Ares my commanding officer speaks of…Corporal."

"Break it up, both of you," I ordered. "We can butt heads about this when we land."

"David," said Kristine.

"What?"

Kristine sighed.

"For what it's worth," she said. "Thanks for defending me back there."

"Don't thank me yet, Kris," I said. "Actions are more trustworthy than words."

"Not that I think it'll make everyone feel better, but I made sure to cover my mark with makeup so no one else knows about it but us."

* * *

**Lead Me Home – Jamie N. Commons**

As soon as Lynch drops us off at the LZ, the team splits once again and we hop inside the trucks we're riding on. Cayce, Kristine, Flint, and I ride with Lebanese resistance fighters in the trunk the truck is carrying us on. The truck departs the LZ. Taking us to Al Zarif Station were the team will be meeting each other and meet Colonel Dhaled who's waiting for our arrival.

The entire city of Beirut looks as if ConDef to a number on it by the dozens. Civilians stranded, buildings dilapidated, streets patrolled by tanks, the war destructed city had it all. Takes me back to my tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before meeting Joyce and Chloe. The time where I had lost Phillip Becker in that war. Beirut was giving me harsh memories already.

I took a smoke for the road to Al Zarif. My lighter at the tip of the cigar and my intoxicated breath blowing off steam. I should be careful not to passive smoke around a crowded truck too.

* * *

Our truck stops at the front bulkhead door of Al Zarif Station and we're granted entry. The four of us get on a train to take to the main hub of the base where Dhaled was waiting. When we make our stop, I could see the guards posted near the transit. Watching the train come to a halt. There're even body bags lying around where the guards are. If my PTSD doesn't conquer and I conquer "it", my bad memories won't sidetrack me from the meeting. Cayce snapped his finger near my face to get my attention.

"Hey," he said. "You still with us?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I just…zoned out for a second there."

"Not a bad idea. I think we just traded one bad situation for another."

"Glad I'm not the only one feeling déjà vu."

While stepping out of the train, Kristine sees a memorial on the wall of lost civvies and troops in Beirut's role in the war. Posters and pictures of the dead and candles lit on the floor in their memory. As Kristine, herself once said, "Not a list of people you want to join." And yet here they are. Peace to the fallen.

"We are fighting a losing battle," said Kristine. "The information Alkaline released helped ConDef target strategic weak-points in the Lebanese military defenses. They are gaining territory fast. Civilian casualties are high. Beirut's on the brink of total collapse."

The memorial extended onward from the train station up between a flight of stairs we walk upon to get to the hub. By the casualties being high, this meant high alright.

"Let's hope Dr. Hendricks talks fast and gives us something useful," I said.

"She will," said Cayce. "You don't hide out in Beirut unless you're really trying to run away from something."

"I feel horrible for all these people the wall," said Flint. "Makes me think it was like this for everyone back in Seattle and San Francisco."

"It was," I said. "I can't even measure what's worse."

We see a man in resistance military gear walking down the steps to meet us. Must be Fehr Dhaled who had to have been on his way to meet us at the station. Good timing he brings.

"Colonel Dhaled?" Kristine asked.

"We were told you were coming," said Dhaled. "We have your doctor."

"We appreciate your help. Especially as we're not exactly on the books until President Trump declared otherwise."

"Good to see you, Dhaled," I said. "Commander Madsen at your servitude."

"We'd hoped you'd bring reinforcements," said Dhaled. "Soldiers, equipment, munitions…anything. Where's the rest of your team?"

"Captain Cage and the others will be meeting separately. Penske is sending as many more of our troops in the city as we speak."

We follow Dhaled to where Hendricks is in custody. Up the stairs and into the main hub. Where refugees and soldiers are posted. The place looked to be a sick bay of some sort. There were doctors seen treating wounded for medical care and triages for the wounded to rest that made it obvious. Nothing like the refugee area we have on the Oregon.

"Our doctor may have vital information on the circumstances responsible for ConDef's latest attacks," I said. "Project Tesseract being said circumstances. If we secure the project, we'll be able to ensure more support for your army."

"That's a polite way of saying shit's fucked up for everyone," said Cayce.

"You want help? Get in line."

"We were lucky to secure Dr. Hendricks before the ConDef advance," said Dhaled. "I warn you, we may not be able to ensure her safety much longer."

"Don't worry. We won't need her long."

"Our men are ill-equipped to deal with ConDef's strategies."

"What's your operational strength?" Kristine asked.

"We have less than a thousand men," replied Dhaled. "A dozen more armored vehicles and a squadron of VTOLs. Essential supplies are low."

"How are you still holding on?" I asked.

"You can thank Derrick Crosby."

"What?!" Cayce snorted. "Derrick Crosby was a hypocritical egomaniac who thought he could make a better world by fucking everything up!"

"After the Triple 4 strikes of 2014, all Chrysalis nations had to abide by the Quantum Terrorism Defense Act. Directed Energy Air Defense Systems must protect all major military, civilian, and industrial targets in allied nations. The DEADS are the only reason we are still here."

"Maybe so, but I wouldn't thank Crosby. He was a prick who got what he deserved."

The five of us exit the med bay and enter the security rooms nearing the interrogation room where Hendricks was waiting. Hard to imagine a man like Derrick Crosby was responsible for the base's integrity. Maybe only indirectly. Consider Dhaled's army lucky for that.

"We're preparing a temporary CC for your use," said Dhaled. "Links to Chrysalis Command are down, but you can still connect to our local systems. The doctor is being held in our interrogation space."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Colonel," said Kristine. "Appreciate it."

Dhaled left us alone and for the four of us to speak with Hendricks in interrogation. The four of us step inside the interrogation room and see the doctor sitting patiently by a table. She recognizes us and is surprised to see each at her presence.

"Commander Madsen?" Hendricks wondered. "Corporal Foley? This is unexpected."

"Pleasure to see you too, Doc," said Cayce. "You look like you've been through hell."

Hendricks scoffed.

"Tell me about it," she said. "After being held without cause and no legal representative to speak to, a sight for sore eyes is all I really need."

"Have a seat, Dr. Hendricks," I said. "We need to talk. Kristine, Flint, step outside while we handle this. Flint, you keep a good eye on your lieutenant."

"You're letting a private be your eyes and ears, Commander?" Kristine questioned.

"Orders are orders, Lieutenant. Wait outside with Wheeler and Dhaled and be sure Cage and the rest of Valor get here too."

The lieutenant and private did as instructed and Cayce and I took a seat at the table to question Hendricks about her project. Acting as her legal representatives.

"It would seem you two have had an uptight day yourselves," said Hendricks.

"You're involved in a secret black ops project for Chrysalis called Project Tesseract," I said. "What is it? And what ConDef want with it?"

"After Triple 4, we were to dispose of any evidence Project Elysium was responsible for the Neo-Chrysalis invasion in Portland. The same tech we used for that project we recycled for Project Tesseract. The project was designed to link a rift to a parallel realm similar to Elysium. Only this time, Tesseract links to a realm known as the Underworld."

"The Underworld?" Cayce thought. "Are we supposed to know what that is?"

"It's a Greek mythological universe similar to how Elysium is except it's a place where souls are condemned to hell as opposed to accepted into heaven. Some of our researchers have actually been inside the underworld when the project was complete and managed to open a rift, but never made it back alive. There was only one who made it back and spoke of a name. Someone called Hades."

"And is Hades a name we should know about too?" I questioned.

"Greek mythology tells he's the god and ruler of the underworld who watches over the dead banished to his world. What ConDef wants with the project is the tech needed that opens the rift. That in itself is called the Tesseract. Some call it the Elysium Forge. Known to open rifts to Elysium but also the Underworld too."

"Why exactly did you build this contraption yourselves? What interest did you have in going to this Underworld?"

Before Hendricks could answer, a tremor had shaken the room. The textbook sign of an imminent attack on the way. The alarm was heard as well with a red light strobing the room too.

"What the fuck," said Cayce.

"Stay here," I said to Hendricks. "We'll be back after we've dealt with whatever's happening."

Cayce and I marched out of the interrogation chamber leaving Hendricks behind. We saw Kristine and Flint by the monitor screens but without Dhaled in sight.

"Kristine, what are we dealing with here?" I asked.

"ConDef forces are converging across the city," answered Kristine.

"They're converging on key checkpoints around the station. It's an all-out assault."

"Let's take it to 'em," said Cayce.

**Note: It must go without saying, but the David chapters will leave Arcadia Bay alone this time. Meaning no more Arcadians involved or left to culminate for the rest of this story as planned. David and Valor Team are on their own this time. Just a friendly reminder that I may have one week off next week for spring break, but college may still do a number on me given that mid-terms will be due before and after the break and how long certain chapter will be and how it may take to write them.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	5. Legacy

Chapter 5 Legacy

Alex  
July 22nd, 2017  
10:14 AM  
Mediterranean Islands  
Mediterranean Sea

Back on the boat, Max drives it on the water again and I spot another arrow onboard pointing in the direction it guides us to. As Max's navigator, I tell her to turn left around the rear of the island. Taking us to the entrance of a small cavern through the cliffside where the boat can drive in.

"Mm, giant gate," I said.

"That's a good sign," said Max.

Into the cave, still, on the waters, there was another stairwell that would take us up outside. Back on the green land. The arrow certainly wanted us to go here if I'm the greatest navigation system we've got. There was also an arrow built below the stairs to confirm the righteous path.

"Secret cave, stairs, this looks promising," said Max.  
Following the trail of arrows, Max docks the boat next to the stairs and we walk upon them. I sure hope we wouldn't be made castaways here like EJ's crew were during their expedition.

"You gotta admit," I said. "This is pretty cool."

"What?" Max thought. "Climbing up these stairs?"

"Yes, climbing these stairs on a giant secret knight island. I mean, c'mon."

"Huh, right."

"Well, I think it's pretty damn cool."

When we're up to the steps, we see an infrastructure in front of us that looked knight-made. Had to be a small base for Arthur and his knights of the order. That arrow back there was built for a reason.

"Wowser," said Max. "Arthur wasn't much for subtlety or understatement, was he?"

"Well, he had the money," I said. "If you've got it, flaunt it, right? So…does this qualify as 'the most elaborate place we've seen yet?'"

"It's up there."

"C'mon, let's get a closer look."

Whether I should be surprised or not, the minute we walk closer to the entrance is the minute we find out its barricaded by rocks and boulder. Just like every other entrance, we would need to get through. Why am I not surprised at all?

"Oh, look," said Max. "The main entrance is blocked by debris. Again."

"Well," I said. "I guess Arthur's builders clearly didn't take thousands of years of erosion into account."

"Clearly."

"Gonna need to find another way around."

There was a small opening on the right side of the structure. Max and I crawl under it and lift some wood with our hands blocking the opening. We take turns lifting and prone under. Once we were through, more the infrastructure was seen on the other side. Has to be a way in from here.

"What do you suppose this place was?" I asked.

"These arches remind me of the Saint Loomis Cathedral," said Max. "But I don't know."

I spot a rope bridge built between a gap above us. We could get up to it with a rope ladder just ahead of us.

"Oh," I said. "Rope bridge up there."

"Yes," said Max. "It is."

Both of us walk to the ladder and Max gives my boost upward so I could reach it. Since only half of the ladder was hanging. I start climbing up to the platform where the bridge is connected.

"See what you can find up there," requested Max.

"You got it," I replied.

Once I'm up, I observe what's on the other side for recon. Taking the best analysis of what catches my face.

"Well?" Max wondered.

"There's a path," I said. "But I don't see another way up yet. Hold on."

I walk on the bridge to cross to the other side and find a way for Max to get up here. But since this thousand-year-old bridge wasn't stable enough for my wait, I felt the boards creaking and eventually shatter. I make a run for the other side right before the bridge breaks in half and I jump for the one side of the bridge colliding against the cliffside I was walking to. Grasping onto the broken bridge with my best reflex.

"Alex!" Max shouted.

"Whoa!" I jumped.

"You okay?!"

"At least I'm on the other side!"

I climb up the broken bridge and mantle over the edge. Getting my feet to stand on the other ground I walked to before the bridge broke.

"Okay," I said. Catching my breath. "Still need to get you up here. Hang tight."

I leave Max behind to find something for her to climb up on so she can get up here. Then I see something that can get her up here and run to it.

Max  
July 22nd, 2017  
10:20 AM  
Mediterranean Sea  
Mediterranean Islands

"Alex, anything?" I called my cousin.

"Alex, hey! You still there?! God dammit. Well, let's see here. I ruined my relationship. Drove my best friends and family away. Got three psychos and their army after me. And now my cousin's gone missing. But on the bright side, there's no one around to tell me I'm an idiot."

All idiocrasy aside, I climb up the broken side of the rope bridge long enough for me to reach. I vault over the platform I had boosted Alex up to. Then see a way around the crossing where Alex ran off too. I know Alex must still be over there somewhere expecting me to be still on the low ground and waiting for her to bring what I needed to get up there, but whatever reason she could hear or answer me when I called to her, I couldn't wait.

"Alright, Alex," I said. "Where are ya?"

When I walk up and get around to Alex's ground, I see her pushing a crate to the edge. Must be what she was trying to get for me to up here. She stopped pushing once she saw me.

"You're already up here?" Alex asked.

"Where were you?" I asked.

"Finding a way to get you up here! Alright, just come along then. Everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Let's keep going."

"Okay."

Finding a way inside the compound, we caught ourselves another glamorous view of the seaside on this island. Seem I can't get enough views of the ocean these days. Whether it'd be the Pacific at the Arcadia Bay Lighthouse or the Mediterranean here. Alex whistled.

"Nice view," she said.

"You didn't hear me?" I asked.

"When?"

"Back there. I called out to you."

"Didn't hear you. Why, were you worried?"

"I was worried you got distracted."

"Oh, I'm distracted now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Shall we?"

"Yeah, let's."

On course with finding a way into the Arthur base, we could see narrow drops below us where sand is being washed up by the seawater. Don't even want to think about drops after what people like Kate tried to do and what Fernando actually did do. If we were anywhere near close to finding a hidden entrance, there was another drop down a cistern where statues of Arthur and his knights of Loomis, such as Lancelot and Percival, were built.

"That is the second biggest cistern I've ever seen," I said.

"Wait," said Alex. "Where was first biggest?"

"I'll tell you later. C'mon, let's get down there."

The best way we were going to get down the cistern was with our climbing gear we were holding. That which were a rope to hook onto and slide down with. Alex and I hooked our rope on the ledges and slid down with our ropes until our feet were at the bottom of the cistern. If anything, I have slid down ropes before. Back on that freeway during the battle of Portland.

Once we were deep down below the cistern, we unhooked our ropes and found a way inside. A corridor is right in front of us wide open and unblocked. Unlike the corridor behind us blocked by debris. Which was the same corridor we tried entering through earlier. Alex enjoyed the view of the statues built around us.

"Jesus," she said. "Look at this place."

There were some open rooms to explore before entering the main corridor. I walk inside on room as Alex follows and see some old junk stashed around. Junk that didn't look like it belonged to Arthur, but perhaps EJ's crew through my familiarity.

"Wowser," I said. "What is all this?"

Most of the junk I was seeing was some unused supplies stashed in crates and bags. Around and on an old table. Most of it ransacked by the looks of it. Even a rusted wagon with a broken wheel carrying some cargo.

"Lots of supplies in here," I said. "Tools, seeds…"

"Ah, provisions," said Alex. "Probably past their sell-by date."

The two of us walk inside another room and find a small model like city displayed on a table with an architectural print laid on a hassle. By the looks of it, someone was constructing a town in here. I take peek at the print of building with its architectural drawings.

"Alex, look," I said.

"Hey," said Alex. "Uh, maybe they were planning a massive theme park?"

"Knight Land."

"Ha, ha."

I turn behind me to see the diorama model on the table. Collecting dust and cobwebs since it had been unused in centuries or years.

"Alex, check out this diorama," I tell her.

"Uh, that looks like a city street," said Alex. "You think they actually built all this stuff?"

"With these guys, I don't know anymore."

There was even a little statue of one of the Herd of Whales member Christoph Carter lying around the diorama. The architecture of the model town didn't look Arthurian. Perhaps centuries older around Ezra's time. That's if Ezra Sr. was once on this island too before his son EJ.

Other blueprints of the town were lying around as well. Or should I call them brown-prints since they weren't colored blue? There were even murals carved into the walls as well. One mural was carved into an image of Arthur's ship attacking a Saxon ship. The Prydwen as Arthur's ship was called.

"Alex, check it out," I said. "It's Arthur's ship."

"The Prydwen," laughed Alex.

"Yeah, attacking the Saxons."

"Its how it all started."

The mural I see is of Arthur and Lancelot holding a paper with their knights of Loomis at the Round Table. Announcing their code.

"Arthur and Lancelot," I said. "Holding court over their knights."

"It looks like they're writing their code of conduct," said Alex.

"May the herd guide us all."

The next mural I find is of the Herd of Whales sigils that had marked Ezra's herd. That couldn't be right. Unless it had marked the Knights of Loomis too?

"Look, herd sigils," I said.

"All gathered around Ezra," said Alex. "Or Arthur or…hold on. Max, this is – this is the story of the founding of Meridian Prime. I think those sigils once belonged to Arthur's party as well. So, what the hell is this place?"

"A staging ground of some kind."

"Oh my God, it's where they planned Meridian Prime."

"Question still stands. Did they actually go through with it?"

"Pfft, I mean they must have. Look at all this. You don't commit to your entire life to something just to walk away from it at the end."

"Yeah, well things don't always go as planned."

Alex and I step out of the room of the staging ground to return on course to the central corridor. If my instincts are correct, the Time Shard was nearing our clutches.

It was incredible to believe how much a thousand-year-old legacy was left behind on this spot of sand and grass. Arthur's legacy, Ezra's legacy, Joanna's legacy, and ironically our legacy. To believe how much I've had in common with this lineage between the Prescotts and Caulfields. According to everything I've learned on this journey to Meridian Prime and the Ark of Genesis held within.

Upon entry across the corridor, there was a big wooden door with a tile sticking out in front. Seemed like it could open the door up front?

"Hmm," I said.

I step on the tile and viola. The door was predictably opening.

"Here we go," said Alex.

And then the door unpredictably froze. Only opening a foot from its broken mechanism. Then the door slammed shut.

"Ah, crap," I said. "Mechanism's busted or something."

"Oh, no, no, no," said Alex. "One way or another, we're getting in. Let's just lift it together, alright?"

"Okay."

Together we lifted the door open vigorously as it was heavier than any doors we had to lift open. My muscles were weakening the longer I held it open. I had to think about the shard that could be behind here no matter how much more I can think about my back. As always, the drill remains the same. Take turns lifting it. Take turns crawling under.

As soon as we were through, we had entered a strange chamber of some kind. A chamber with balls and symbols attached to the walls and a wheel built in the center. I had an itchy feeling my instincts weren't failing and rather thriving to succession to getting that Time Shard. The shard itself had to be here. And I'm betting indubitably that solving this puzzle will get me to it.

"Whoa," I said.

"Looks like we've got another trial," said Alex.

"It sure looks like it."

I walk to the center of the puzzle where the wheel had stood to investigate. The wheel itself seemed to be standing on what appeared to be an island made of concrete. Turning the wheel in front of me was perhaps the only provoking start I was gonna get to solving the puzzle and the shard.

"Let's see what these do," I said.

I turn the wheel once and a light ray is lit on the wall where the balls are built. Not only do the balls rotate around the wall clockwise or counterclockwise, but a symbol is shadowed on the light ray too. Must be part of the puzzle.

"Some impressive engineering here," said Alex.

"The symbols on the spheres don't match the ones in the light," I said.

This thousand-year-old engineering was more complex than it looked. I was turning two spheres at once. One sphere had the symbol the shadow was marking and the other sphere was divided into a lighter and darker shade. If I could match the rays with the spheres at once, I can solve the puzzle. There was a mechanism on the wall where I can lock the spheres in and turn them around to match the puzzle.

As soon as the first phase of the puzzle was solved, objects were rising out of the ground. Four statues of four Knights of Loomis had risen in front of us.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Whoa, look," said Alex.

"Statues."

"Loomis knights."

"There's Percival…Gawain…Tristan and I can't remember that guy's name."

I get back on the wheel and solve the next piece of the puzzle. Moving the spheres back and forth, rotating them to the correct place, and eventually lining them with the light rays and shadows. Then phase two of the puzzle is solved. Then four more statues rise behind us.

"Got it," I said.

"Here we go again," said Alex.

"Who've we got?"

"Let's see…Galahad, Lionel, Gareth, and…Bedivere."

"Eight out of twelve."

The last phase of the puzzle was the trickiest. When turning the wheel, the sphere would rotate with the trajectory and it would take more than positioning them with a turning mechanism. I would need to use the mechanisms to rotate them to where I can time the rotations so they can match the shadows when they turn. After passing the complexity, I solve the last phase of the puzzle and the last few statues rise around the room. My cousin and I laugh at our achievement.

"And the last of our crew," said Alex. "Lamorak, Bors, and Lancelot.

"Alex, look."

After every statue circling the room had risen, the wheel opened a small slot in the middle. One that fit the Eon Codex. I knew what I needed to do next.

"I guess this where the codex comes in again," I said.

"Whoa, whoa," said Alex. "Wait a minute. That's only eleven knights."

"We're missing our star knight."

"Uh-huh. It's kinda weird. Unless that slot for the codex has anything to do with it."

I plug the codex into the slot and then the whole room goes dark like a blackout. Then suddenly, a statue of King Arthur himself rose right in front of us. Scaled bigger and wider than the other statues and then the statue itself opened some kind of energy field. A portal-like rift making way for something or someone exiting the rift itself. A tall figure in ancient armor making an entrance with the right itself. The figure's armor was glowing green like a leprechaun and I knew exactly who this figure was.  
As soon as the rift closed, the figure unmasked itself with his mechanical helmet. Revealing himself to be none other than the butcher of Triple 4 himself. An old enemy who had orchestrated the invasion of Portland with Derrick Crosby. Chronos the god of time.

"Holy wowser," I murmured.


	6. War Has Changed

Chapter 6 War Has Changed

David  
July 22nd, 2017  
2:52 PM  
Beirut, Lebanon  
Al Zarif Station

Before returning to the central hub where the fighting was occurring, Cage arrived with the rest of the team in a hurry to find us in the security rooms. It would seem the rest of Valor Team's timing was just a hair off.

"Madsen, there you are!" Cage called out.

"Cage, where have you been?!" I asked.

"We got ambushed on the way in here is where. ConDef's trying to break it in."

"You must be Captain Cage," said Dhaled. "I'm Colonel Dhaled. Sorry to meet under these circumstances."

"Sorry, we're late to the party, Colonel. But it looks like we're just in time."

"What's happening out there? Any casualties?"

"ConDef opened fired out of nowhere as soon as our truck came to a stop," explained Mason. "Minimal casualties, but it looks like they got new toys out there to increase them."

"We got no time to lose," I said. "If ConDef wants a fight, they've got one."

I kick the door open to suddenly find a resistance soldier running from sphere-shaped object rolling around like a beach ball embedded with shrapnel spikes. The spiked sphere hit the soldier in the back. Severely injuring him and bumping into me. Must be the new toys ConDef's acquired that Mason had spoken of.

I held onto the injured soldier and until the sphere shot out its shrapnel. Finishing off the injured man, rendering him deceased, and one of the spikes hit me through the arm. As painful as it was, I pulled it out and got back into the fight. I was gonna bleed but will have to fix it when we weren't fighting.

"It's go-time, Valor!" Cage shouted. "Form a perimeter and protect the hub!"

"You heard the Captain!" Dhaled shouted. "Keep ConDef away from the civvies at all cost!"

Dhaled, the team, and I find a position to take cover and the firefight begins. The resistance was fighting head-on against their oppressors and so were we. There were civilian and resistance bodies already marked for casualties, but it seems most of the civvies made it out in time before the fighting started. Kristine noticed my mind in the middle of the fight.

"Commander, you're bleeding!" Kristine shouted.

"Can it, Lieutenant!" I ordered. "You can patch me when we're done here!"

We cleared the perimeter and the hub of ConDef and then ceased fired. The fight was far from done, but we withdrew our rifles for the moment.

"All clear," said Cayce. "That's the last of them."

"Hear, patch us into Lebanese Resistance Command," ordered Cage.

"On it," replied Heard.

As soon as Heard patched our comms into the resistance command frequency, we heard a voice through the radio in a middle-eastern accent. Providing our orders in the next phase of the fight.

_"Valor Team, this is Resistance Command. Priority Target in ConDef convoy moving on eastern checkpoint! ETA one minute. Request all emergency defense units move to reinforce the position."_

"This is Colonel Dhaled. I'm with Valor and we copy. But we'll need a VTOL transport if we're going to get the trucks to the checkpoint in time!"

_"Confirmed. VTOL transport inbound."_

The team and I march to the exit blocked by rubble. Cayce and I removed the rubble to together and we all step outside to see a massacre. A downed VTOL was totaled and burning by the bulkhead doors of the base and bodies of resistance and ConDef were left astray on the sandy ground. This was the greatest time as any for Penske to bring out the reinforcements besides Valor Team.

"We have to hurry," said Dhaled.

The convoy of trucks Dhaled had sent for us arrived and we all ran to our vehicles to hop on. Heard rode with Newblood, Logos, and Flint on one truck. Cage, Cayce, Kristine, Mason, and I rode on the other. Riding on the trunks of our trucks, the convoy was taking us to the mobile wall the resistance had built to keep ConDef out of the Al Zarif territory. Dhaled debriefed us on our next move to the wall.

"Where we going, Colonel?" Cage asked. "What's our next move?"

"We're headed to the mobile wall we built to divide this territory," said Dhaled. "Key strategic positions, including the old metro tunnels beneath the checkpoint, are rigged to blow. Detonation is our last resort."

"If there are walls built around this territory," I said. "Then how did ConDef get through?"

"The eastern post is the only area we've managed to fortify. The only area that'll imminently be under siege."

"We're not here just to fight your war, Colonel," said Cayce. "We just want our doctor."

"If we lose the eastern checkpoint, you won't have a doctor!"

Cayce  
July 22nd, 2017  
3:08 PM  
Beirut, Lebanon  
Raoucheh Eastern Mobile Wall

The convoy raced towards the eastern wall on approach. A VTOL carrying a Predator until was flying ahead of us. The Predator would be used as our eye in the sky to support our assault at the wall. Only as soon as the wall was ahead of us, the VTOL was shot down by RPG fire and crashed itself in front of us. Going down with the predator and instantaneously forcing the convoy to jerk to a stop since the aircraft crashed in the road. We had no air support now that the predator was destroyed with the VTOL.

"Dammit!" David snapped.

"So what was your plan, boy-scout?!" I patronized.

"The spike launchers were used to demolish buildings," explained Dhaled.

"We planned to use it to weaken the tunnel supports and we also were gonna use the predator for air support. But that damn VTOL went down with it!"

"Ladies!" Cage interrupted. "For once, I say stick to plan A."

I grabbed a heavy spike launcher from the truck and we all hop out to join the fight. The other half of Valor Team hop out as well. All of Valor and Dhaled's resistance gather towards the wall to defend the checkpoint. I was going to need this launcher to weaken the underground supports as Dhaled said. Resistance troops from the other side of the wall were retreating our side before they could get picked down by ConDef hostiles.

"I want men in the position now!" Dhaled ordered his men. "Get men on that wall laying down suppressing fire! Keep on them! Don't give them a chance to breathe! Move! Move! Move!"

"Heard, search the city archives," ordered Cage. "Give me the locations of those support columns."

"You got to give me time," said Heard. "Key systems are down. I'm doing this by eye!"

"We don't have time!"

Heard pulled out her tablet that mapped Beirut's archives to search for the columns. The lieutenant major herself found them on her tablet more instantly than she figured.

"Okay," she said. "I've located the southbound tunnel supports!"

"Foley, Logos," said Cage. "Take those spike launchers to plug up those supports now!"

"Affirmative!" I replied.

"You got it, Capitan!" Logos replied.

David, Kristine, Cage, and the rest of Valor positioned themselves on the platform on top of the wall to cover Logos and I. While the team covered the two of us on the other side of the wall, I use thermal vision to mark the targeted supports underneath the asphalt and find my first target to nail down. While being under fire by ConDef infantry but covered by resistance and my team behind me, I nail down the support with the launcher and the spike was ready to blow.

"Target nailed!" I alert the team.

_"Blow that fucker!"_ Cage ordered.

I move a certain distance before the support could go ka-boom and I detonate the target. Blowing a chunk of asphalt in the process.

"Detonation confirmed," I said.

_"Two more in the north line,"_ said Heard. _"Sending your way."_

"Copy that," I replied. "David, cover us!"

"I got the next one!" Logos shouted. "You cover our asses, David!"

_"Your good!"_ David responded. _"Go!"_

"Cayce watch my ass while I get this one!" Logos ordered.

"You know it!" I replied.

Logos maneuvered near the buildings to keep himself distant from hostiles. I shot a couple of hostiles approaching him as Logos was approaching his target. Logos made it to the support column beneath him and plugged an explosive spike on target. The staff sergeant himself ran a distance from his target so he could detonate the spike.

"Spike set," he said. "Ready to blow!"

"Blow it now, Logos!" I ordered.

Logos detonated the spike on my command and the support exploded into a hole in the road. Now for the next one.

_"Nice detonating, text!"_ Newblood complimented.

"I got the next one," I said. "Cover me!"

_"ConDef reinforcements five minutes out!"_ The LRC warned on the channel.

I ran towards the other support in the north line with covering fire, plug it up with a spike, run a distance, and fire in the whole. Then the support goes boom. Another hole in the road.

_"Last two,"_ said Heard. _"The centerline."_

"Logos, let's blow those last supports together," I said. "Take the one on the left center! I got the other!"

"Si," said Logos. "Your call, Cayce!"

"Let's go! Now!"

Logos and I run toward our targets at the same and nail down the spikes for the final blow. Time was running out and more ConDef would arrive in less than a minute now.

_"ConDef reinforcements inbound,"_ warned LRC. _"ETA one minute."_

_"You got this, Cayce,"_ said Kristine. _"Blow those last supports to bits!"_

"Fire in the hole!" I shouted.

Together, Logos and I detonate the spike and our targets explode with the press of a button. All support columns neutralized.

_"That's it!"_ Cage shouted. _"We got 'em all! Fall back to the wall! Go! Go! Go!"_

_"We have to blow the street!"_ Dhaled alerted. _"Get back here now!"_

_"Brace for impact!"_ Mason warned. _"Javelin missiles inbound!"_

"Incoming, Logos!" I shouted. "Let's fall back to the wall!"

"Rapido!" Logos shouted back.

All resistance troops, as well as Logos and I, raced back to the wall to take cover from the missile strikes. As soon as we were all safe behind the wall, the missiles to be launched via detonator. A resistance soldier on the platform had the detonator and Dhaled gave him the order to launch the missiles.

"Blow it!" Dhaled yelled.

Unfortunately, the soldier was sniped to death by a ConDef sniper. It was up to one of us now to launch the missiles.

"Get up there, Cayce," said David. "I'll cover you!"

I climbed the ladder to the platform and reach for the detonator. As soon as the detonator was in my hands, it didn't seem to be functioning properly.

"There's a problem!" I shouted.

"What now?!" David muttered.

Then I realized the safety was on and I switched it off.

"I got it!" I shouted back.

"Detonate now!" David ordered.

And finally, I pressed the trigger of the detonator and bombs away. The missile strike hit the street in front of us and combusted into a massive seismic explosion on impact. Cacophonously turning the asphalt road into a sinkhole. The victory was ours. For now.  
I regrouped with Valor Team off the wall to speak with Dhaled after winning another battle against ConDef. The colonel was gratefully in our debt.

"Thank you," said Dhaled. "I will never forget this."

"You're welcome," I said. "Can we get back to Dr. Hendricks now?"

Before we could even think about returning to Hendricks, another explosion was heard from across the city. Which was a sign the fight was over yet?

_"We need reinforcements to Sassine Square!"_ LRC requested. _"Heavy ConDef artillery has broken through!"_

"I guess not," I said.

"Ziade Palace," said Dhaled. "They're looking for another way into Al Zarif."

"Secure the area, Colonel," said Cage. "We'll rendezvous at the square."

"Understood."

"Madsen, take Foley, Prescott, Wheeler, and Mason with you to the square. Me, Dhaled, Heard, Newblood, and Logos will part ways and meet you at Sassine. Prescott, we're still watching you."

"Noted, Captain," said Kristine. "I'm still making it up to you."

David  
July 22nd, 2017  
3:23 PM  
Beirut, Lebanon  
Ziade Palace

I take the often team I'm assigned with, alongside Mason who's not always with me, into the Ziade Palace toward our route to Sassine Square. Here's hoping that Cage, Dhaled, and the others can get through the woods as we possibly could. As well as Hendricks still safe and sound away from ConDef.

"David," said Cayce. "It feels a lot like they're trying to keep us away from the station. Why would that be?"

"I think we know exactly why that would be, Cayce," I replied rhetorically.

_"Ambush!"_ LRC yelled on comm. _"We have a breach at Al Zarif Station!"_

"Dr. Hendricks no doubt," said Kristine. "While she's still at the station, we're leaving behind lambs to the slaughter."

_"Captain Cage, Commander Madsen,"_ said Hendricks on the channel. _"Does anyone read?!"_

"Dr. Hendricks!" I responded. "Is that you?! What's happening?! What's your status?!"

_"Because of me, ConDef just breached the compound. The resistance is relocating me off station and I'm going to need more protection soon!"_

"We're headed to Sassine Square to help Dhaled's men over there right now, Doc. We can't help you at the moment."

_"Funny, that's where I'm heading too."_

"Then hang tight. We'll be sure to clear the vicinity before your arrival. You hear that, Captain? Al Zarif has been overrun and Hendricks in coming to our rendezvous point as well."

_"Loud and clear, Commander,"_ said Cage. _"Our objective stands. Just get to the square so we can all clear the way for the doctor."_

"Wilco, Madsen out. Let's move it, Valor! On me!"

The five of us marched through the palace and into the slums and alleys of Beirut with our weapons ready. Three hostiles were in the hallway of the palace we marched through and I tossed a frag grenade between them to eliminate them all at once. Eventually, we made our exit out of the palace and found ourselves an all-out assault in the courtyard between the slums and the palace.

Resistance fighters and ConDef were shooting rifles at one another in the typical warzone they were in. It didn't help but to bring back yet even more bad memories of the warzones Becker and I once fought on back in Afghan. Concentrated on the objective and not memory lane, the team and I take cover and shoot back with the rest of the resistance. Even more of those spike balls we had seen earlier emerged into the scene to cut down more resistance soldier apart. Lucky for us, they were easy to take out with just a few bullets until they exploded into scrap metal.

Once the hostiles were wasted, I take the team into more dilapidated buildings to stay on course. The building alone looked as if some aircraft had just crashed through and recently as well. To confirm the theory, the building was burning fire and a downed VTOL was dangling on the edge of the building.

"Commander," said Mason. "We have a downed VTOL on our twelve."

"Let's check for survivors," I said.

Screaming was heard from inside the air vehicle. Confirming someone  
was in trouble.

"Sounds like a survivor to me," said Kristine.

"Cayce, give me a hand with this."

Cayce and I help each with the damaged door used for the ramp/hatch for the rear of the VTOL and use our muscles doing so. As soon as the broken hatch was open, there certainly were men still breathing in here. A surviving resistance trooper wearily was walking out of the VTOL.

"Hey, buddy," I said to the resistance soldier. "Anybody else alive in there?"

The soldier pointed to where there were more survivors. Inside the cockpit.

"Friendlies, coming in!" I warned the surviving crew.

"Watch your step in there," said Cayce. "This bucket's hanging by a thread."

As I gradually tiptoe my way inside, the pilot in the cockpit turned his head toward me and aimed a pistol in my direction. Alarmed of who was coming in. Certainly, didn't get my warning.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I shouted. "Hold your fire! Friendly. Chrysalis."

The pilot lowered his gun and turned away. When I got inside the cockpit, the pilot's co-pilot was dead. When I confronted the pilot himself, the man was impaled by a stick of rebar. Bleeding out from his abdomen and his throat. The pilot needed severe medical attention.

"Help me…please," the pilot choked.

"Damn," I said. "Kristine, the pilot's injured! Alright, I'm gonna move you-"

Suddenly, the cockpit of the VTOL shook and was beginning to detach itself from the rest of the interior before I could help the pilot out and Kristine could treat him. At first instinct, I was going to jump out. But not before the cockpit snapped off the rest of the aircraft and I went down with it.

"Get out of there!" Cayce shouted.

When going down with the cockpit, it collapsed to the ground and totaled on impact. The pilot had also succumbed to his injuries and bleed completely out before we could help. Thus, killed in the crash. I had seen a truck fumble and total next to the torn cockpit as soon as I was making my way out. Cayce the others got out of the building the VTOL crashed in to help me.

"Pilot didn't make it," I said.

"No shit," said Cayce. "Come on, we gotta move."

By some coincidence, it would appear that we have arrived at Sassine square. Where a full-scale battleground was taking place. Enemy infantry, spike-balls, and even APC tanks stealing the action. The resistance was being overwhelmed by the numbers and losing this war the stronger ConDef had gotten. Lucky for us, Cage and the rest of Valor had arrived at the square before we did. They had caught our attention at first glance when they did.

"Madsen, there you are!" Cage called. "Where've you been this whole time?!"

"Fighting the ConDef you missed, Cage," I replied. "Dhaled, what's the situation here?"

"It's bad, Madsen," said Dhaled. "Bad as bad can be between my men getting slaughtered like pigs and those tanks ready to overrun the safehouse at the square! We don't have the manpower nor the combat capacity to hold them back!"

_"Lebanese Resistance Command, this is Chrysalis HQ of the North American Branch. Admiral Penske is sending all available ground troops and aircraft at your disposal. Our reinforcements can provide any assistance needed in all territories in Beirut."_

_"We copy, Chrysalis HQ. Just what we needed. Be advised, ConDef has upgraded since the fighting began."_

"Well that's a relief now Penske is bringing out the army this resistance needs," said Flint.

"Indeed," said Dhaled. "And where was Chrysalis when the rest of our fighters were in peril over the last year?!"

"Do you have RPGs or C4 or whatever we can use to neutralize those tanks, Colonel?" I asked.

"If we had RPGs or such, Commander, those tanks would've been neutralized already!"

_"Valor Team, this SCRATCH leader. Our harriers can provide a bombing strike for whatever air support you need."_

"Speak of the devil," said Cayce.

"SCRATCH leader, this is Captain Cage. Valor could use your assistance at Sassine Square. Over."

_"Roger that, Captain. Mark your targets with a flare and our bomb squadron will be at your service."_

"Madsen, throw a flare at those tanks so we can end those motherfuckers!"

"With pleasure," I said.

I take one of my flares, light it up, and toss it in the middle of the roundabout at the square. Right where the tanks were circling. With the flare lit with red smoke on the ground, SCRATCH Squadron was inbound.

_"We have eyes on the target. Bombing is a go."_

"Everyone, fan out!" Dhaled ordered his men. "Bombs are incoming!"

The team and I as well as every resistance fighter fell back a distance for the bombs to drop on the targets I marked. Then finally, the harrier bombers flew into action, released the bombs, and rained hellfire made of napalm on the ConDef tanks and infantry. Destroying the armored vehicles with easy explosions and burning down hostile infantry into charred flesh and bones.

The resistance forces chanted. Waving their rifles in the air and cheering into a battle cry as if they just won the war. When we've only won the battle with the smell of burning napalm as the smell of victorious.

"Madsen, Cage, are you there?" Hendricks spoke on comm. "Come in."

"Hendricks, we just cleared square," I responded. "What's up?"

"My transport is approaching the square now. Were those harriers and bombs I saw and heard coming?"

"Yes, they were. We barely managed to protect the safehouse if it weren't for Penske's reinforcements. We'll meet you when your transport stops."

As soon as the square and safe house were secure, Chrysalis soldiers were now entering the scene in trucks and other armored vehicles in order to secure the vicinity for the resistance. This should at least give Dhaled's army all the backup we could get out of this war.

Hendrick's truck had arrived and the team and I went there to meet the doctor again. Hendricks stepped out of the trunk of her transport and was greeted by us.

"Dr. Kara Hendricks," said Cage. "We meet again at last."

"I see you've brought the whole gang back together, Captain," said Hendricks. "Sniff, sniff, ugh. The smell of a warzone."

"The smell of napalm, Doc," said Cayce. "A reminder of how much hell we're going through just to protect you."

"Doctor," said Dhaled. "Were there any survivors before we lost Al Zarif? Did any of my men or refugees make it?"

"Not that I could tell, Colonel," said Hendricks. "But it looks like only a handful of soldiers and refugees escaped alive. Many others were massacred in a matter of minutes."

Dhaled sighed.

"And you're bringing reinforcements just now," he said. "You said you would help us. Instead, we've lost Al Zarif and soon the rest of Beirut!"

"Dhaled," I said. "It's not too late. We can have Penske send in some aircraft to pick up any surviving refugees. The people who did this are more than just Alkaline. ConDef has another mysterious leader waging war in this country and he's going to continue to help the enemy. We need to fight back."

"Whoever this mysterious leader is, you don't even know where he is."

"In the meantime, Colonel," said Cage. "We still have that black project Dr. Hendrick has been working on to go to. We'll be sure to have Admiral Penske send in air transportation for civilians to be shipped out of the city and transferred to the fleet that can provide sanctuary for them. You have my word."

"I hope I'm right to trust you," said Dhaled. "Do what you have to with Dr. Hendricks while I go make arrangements with Admiral Penske. Meet at us at Mar Mitr Station just down the road when you're done."

Dhaled left us to make the arrangements with the Admiral and we were now on our own. Cage gave us our orders for our next move.

"Well you all heard the Colonel, Valor," said Cage. "Madsen, take Prescott and Foley with you so Hendricks can present her project. The rest of you, come with me to the station Dhaled mentioned."

And so, Cage and the other left us with Hendricks to travel with Dhaled to the other base in Beirut. It was just the three of us now with the doctor.

"I'm still having second thoughts about Kristine," said Cayce. "Meanwhile, we're watching this city get torn apart for nothing. And to believe Alkaline isn't the only man responsible. Why David? Just why?"

"War has changed, Cayce," I answered. "War has changed."


	7. Too Far Gone

Chapter 7 Too Far Gone

Chloe  
June 10th, 2006  
10:45 AM  
Tillamook State Forest  
Tillamook Camping Grounds

It was feeling like the longest hike ever just to get to our campsite. Carrying my load behind my back was heavier than carrying all the textbooks in the school library. Max was wearing Alex's Indiana Jones hat on her head since she let her wear it. Dad, Mr. Caulfield, and Max's Uncle were ahead of us on the hike since we started walking. It was also hot as hot-balls hiking out here. Guess that's why we come prepared with water bottles. I took a sip of mine as my clothes were drenched with my sweat.

"Dad, are we there yet?!" I whined. "We've walked for a thousand miles now. My feet are murdering me."

"We're there when we're there, Chloe," said Dad. "Ask again and you'll spend another week grounded."

"But Dad-"

"No 'but Dads'. You wanted to go camping. This is where we are."

"Perhaps, Mr. Price," said Alex. "Chloe here needs a little inspiration for her taste. I've been hiking with my dad since I was four-years-old. I've been traveling the world with my dad since I was seven-years-old. With all those years of experience I've had in doing so, Chloe could use an expert in getting her feet dirty."

"Oh, please," I said. "The Indy-Jones wannabe is only exaggerating."

"Trust me, Chloe," said Max. "She's not."

"Not listening to you. La, la, la, la."

"Will you three pipe it down!" Mr. Caulfield muttered. "One more bicker and you'll find yourselves going home!"

"Here we are," said Max's uncle. "The campsite is in our site."

We had all stopped right in front of a cliffside. Where we had gotten the view of the Wilson River at last. Finally, someplace where we can rest. My feet felt like they were about to fall apart into a pile of bones. Question is, how do we get down from here to the river?

"Interesting view, isn't it?" Alex asked. "The Wilson River. I love it."

"Ugh, finally," I said. "A place where my feet can relax."

"Don't get your feet too comfortable just yet, Chloe," said Bryan. "We still need to get down there, unpack our gear, and set up the tents for us to sleep in."

"And how exactly are we getting down there, Uncle B?" Max asked.

"You're all not gonna like it," said Bryan. "But we're gonna rope across."

"We're gonna what?" I thought.

"Bryan, are you serious?" Mr. Caulfield asked.

"I wish I weren't, Ryan," said Bryan. "But it's the only."

"Come on, Bryan! We have the kids with us. You know it's too dangerous for them."

"Not for Alex it isn't. I've taught her well how to climb up and down with ropes."

"Well, you've never taught Max nor Chloe well how to do that. There's got to be another way."

"There is no other way, Ryan. I've already mapped these camping grounds properly enough to know there isn't. Perhaps Max and Chloe will need all the education about rope climbing the can get from me. Maybe some from Alex too."

"You've got to admit, Bryan," said Dad. "Your brother does have a point. We came here to go camping. Not mountain climbing. We also promised Joyce and Vanessa we would make this trip safe for them too and I doubt neither of them would approve of what you're proposing."

"Trust me, Bill," said Bryan. "We're not climbing mountains. Only a ten-foot slope. The wait we're also carrying shouldn't affect our balance either. I'll help the kids get hooked up and I'll tell them how to use the climbing gear. They'll be climbing down the bottom scratchless before you know it."

"Perhaps I can teach my cousin and friend a few tricks of mine on the rope?" Alex asked.

"Absolutely not, Alex. If we want to keep our promises to your Aunt and Joyce, that would be ill-advised. Now, who wants to get hooked on first?"

"Just when my feet were about to wear out," I said.

* * *

Chloe  
July 22nd, 2017  
10:29 AM  
Mediterranean Airspace  
Mediterranean Sea

I wake up on Bryan's plane. Passed out from a few hours of sleep since I couldn't get any last night. Not after the harmful truth, I unearthed yesterday evening in Max's hotel room in Rome. Max's uncle named Bryan was flying me to the Chrysalis vessel called the Oregon. The place where there was a sanctuary for war refugees and where Mom was staying with Max's and Rachel's parents. I had texted Mom earlier I'd be going there instead of Uncle Aaron's and Aunt Linda's.

On the plane, I was flying with Rachel, Frank, and Max's Seattle friends Fernando and Kristen who I haven't met until now. Fernando was wearing a cast around his leg since was broken during Max's secret mission after just leaving the hospital.

I was still torn about Max's lie. Three years at peace from the travesty Max and I had gone through and only just now does she bring it all back to us. For all I know, I could lose another person I care about in the blink of an eye in a war like this. It must've felt so great having a normal life with Max at last. It feels like a trillion years since Mom walked through the front door of my old home and told me Dad was killed. A trillion plus years since Max and I dug Rachel's body double and watched that storm turn Arcadia Bay into a wasteland. And a trillion quadruple years since Max, Rachel, and I survived a battleground in Portland. What is next for me to suffer after everything Max and I have worked so hard for us to establish a normal relationship?

"Hey," said Rachel. Sitting next to me on the plane. "You okay?"

I refused to answer and turned away. Knowing that she was in on Max's secret, I couldn't bear to look at Rachel either.

"You know," she said. "I didn't do this, Chloe. Max did. In fact, I've been reasoning with her about it since. And she chose to ignore me. It's her should be pissed at. Not me."

I still didn't speak back to her. Instead, Rachel decided to drop it and change the subject. By announcing a special day of hers that not everyone on this plane knew about.

"Guess what, everybody," she began. "Today's my birthday. I'm now twenty-three years old."

"Is that so?" Fernando thought. "Well, Feliz cumpleanos, Rachel."

"Happy birthday, Rachel," said Kristen.

"Then I should say happy birthday to you as well, Rachel," said Bryan while flying the plane in the cockpit.

"I'll never forget my lioness's special day," said Frank. "Sorry I couldn't get you present since Max dragged us along."

"No worries, dear," said Rachel. "I got myself a little present I thought we could share."

Rachel pulls the present out of her bag and it's a bottle of Italian red wine.

"Behold," she said. "Lambrusco Grape Variety. All from Rome, Italy."

"Where did you get that wine, Rachel?" Frank asked. "How did you even pay for that without the right money?"

"Got it from a store across the street from our hotel before we left. Used some of Bryan's euros he lent us for the trip to buy it."

Rachel opened the cork and proposed a grand toast to the passengers.

"To all of us," she began. "And our bravery for Max's journey."

Rachel got the first sip of wine as the birthday girl and swigged it down. Frank got the second swig. I got a third. Fernando got the forth. Kristen got the fifth.

"Want any Bryan?" Kristen asked.

"Your offer is appreciated," said Bryan. "But I'd appreciate it more if I flew sober."

"Fair enough."

Kristen gave back the whine to Rachel. I'll never forget the first time her and I took a swig of stolen wine at the overlook park.

"How's your leg, Fernan?" Rachel asked.

"It's gonna be a long time before I won't be needing this cast anymore," replied Fernando. "Six months to a minimum is what the doctor said."

"If it hadn't been for Max," said Kristen. "Fernan would've been more than injured."

"It's cute you all can enjoy a sip of wine for birthday girl today," I said. "Too bad I'm still broken up about Max shutting me out for the second time in a lifetime to even care. God, it feels like I don't even know her anymore."

"Your ass wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for her," said Rachel. "My ass wouldn't even be alive if not for her. Do you really think after all this time, you have the audacity to not only kill the mood of my birthday but say you don't even know her anymore?"

"You think I don't realize any of that? Max didn't just lie to me about the job, she lied to me about a family secret of hers that she's kept from me since she first left me. When I got to that hotel room to find all that junk about the Ark of Genesis and blah, blah, blah, I didn't know why or how it would interest Max, but it sure didn't look like a Vancouver job when I got there."

"You clearly weren't with us when we were fucking around with Max and her big cousin," said Frank. "We met some ghost witch in King Arthur's palace who says Max is the chosen one. Got shot at and captured by ConDicks. Max and Alex almost got their asses blown up on an airborne cargo plane. All that just to learn about her ancient prophecy."

"Max believes she's a descendant to some ancient secret cult named the Herd of Whales," said Rachel. "Previously known as the Order of Saint Loomis. Something that began centuries ago during the Arthurian era. She believes it's all connected to her time power and why it was given to her. Frank's right. Perhaps if Max had the bravery to let you in on this, you might understand this better."

"And what exactly is the driving force that made Max break her promise she was getting good at keeping?" I asked.

"It was Alex who came to Max. Her cousin. It was Alkaline and his ConDef army with ties to the herd that started this war. Persuading Max to help Chrysalis win it against ConDef. But that's not all. A Prescott is leading the herd. Joanna Prescott. Sean Prescott's sister and Nathan Prescott's aunt. The Prescotts are part of the herd family trees. As well as the Crosbys, Jeffersons, Ranikovs, and now the Caulfields. And most of all, like Chronos the god of time orchestrating the Triple 4 attack, we now have Ares the god of war becoming the catalyst of this conflict now."

"Rachel, that's enough. I'm not sure how much more of this nonsense I can take. First, a snowfall turned bird and whale masochism turned tornado storm. Then, a portal in the sky ending the world. And now…ugh – I don't even know how to live with this anymore after everything! Everything!"

"Chloe, why don't you grow a fucking pair learn to live with this! Don't you think I'd rather be out there with Frank living my dream?! Not in the middle of this war I can't! I told you and Max before. Whenever you'd need me, I'd be there. And here I am being there as promised. So, for once make Joanna, Alkaline, and Ares the guilty party and stop blaming everyone else for your feelings!"

"You're really gonna dictate how I feel about this by pointing fingers at Joanna, Alkaline, Ares, or whatever motherfucker you bring up?! After Triple 4, I wanted to believe it was over for us then and there. And now that Max is at it again, my dad, the storm, the trial, Triple 4, its all for nothing!"

"You've certainly have changed drastically since I first met you in the Tillamook, Chloe," said Bryan. "Here me out miss, I can't imagine having to lose a father the way you did all those years ago. Only now, I'd like to offer you my condolences for that."

"You don't have to, sir," I said. "That was a lifetime ago and that's the last thing I'd like to bring up right now."

"I know, but just listen. Though I never knew your father well enough after the camping trip, I respected him in a way I did. There was a time when I suffered a great tragedy as well. Back when Alex was presumed dead when she and Max snuck out behind my back for something they should've never done. There's so much more after that being the reason, I brought my niece into this that you cannot understand. Not without Max's understanding. Perhaps when you two see each other again, she could tell you more. Sigh…and there's so much I'm keeping from her that if she ever knew, I can't even contemplate how she'll react."

"'If' I see her again," I said. "I sure hope to understand better than I want to. And to think I could've lost her for good on that tower."

"I would die for Max, Chloe," said Rachel. "I was prepared to on that tower. I'd do it again if I had to. We're not too far gone, you know. We're still the same people we were in Arcadia Bay no matter how much or little we've changed since. The more things change, the more they stay the same."

I was beginning to remember more of Max's cousin now. Especially the time I went camping with her and Max. Somehow it was all coming back to me now since Bryan had brought it up. A little more so then when I saw my girlfriend's cousin and uncle back in that hotel room.

"Alex," I whispered to myself.

**Note: Blame binging through Star Wars: The Clone Wars, mid-terms I had troubles with, and a lot of games that have come out in the recent weeks I've been wanting to play. Still may have troubles with college, but that may all be over soon. The sooner it is, the better time I can make up writing these chapters.**

**So just stay cool, everyone. And of course, stay tuned and golden!**


	8. Hades

Chapter 8 Hades

David

July 22nd, 2017

4:02 PM

Project Tesseract Archeological Mine

10 miles from Beirut

Cayce, Kristine, and I ride the chopper with Dr. Hendricks to the Archeological Mine where Project Tesseract was sited. Exactly where the doctor said it was. The site was protected under the security of Chrysalis and resistance troops working together. Hendricks herself back in the interrogation room said the project can build a rift into the place she called the Underworld. But she never explained to herself what motivated her and her team to do so.

Our chopper lands on a helipad near the dig site. The troops check for our ID and authorization. Hendricks was able to gain us clearance to where the tesseract, also know as the Elysium Forge was being kept. A special chamber deep down in the mines where the staff was able to open the rift.

On the way in, we had to bypass through more security checkpoints and eventually to a big elevator built over a massive shaft that would take us to the chamber itself. We still had more questions than answers based on our interrogation with Hendricks and this is where we continued that conversation.

"We never really finished our conversation back at Al Zarif," said Cayce. "If I recollect from where we left off rightly, we asked why made you people build this project to begin with."

"Knowing what Project Elysium was capable of during Triple 4," began Hendricks. "My team and I knew we could achieve other things beyond that. We knew there could be other worlds aside from Elysium that remained undiscovered. Lo and behold, the Underworld."

"Project Elysium unleashed hell on Earth during the attack on Portland," I said. "I was barely able to get my step-daughter, Max, and Rachel out of the city alive after the incident. How do we know Project Tesseract won't allow history to repeat itself?"

"Remember our old bastard CEO, Derrick Crosby?" Hendricks continued. "He quietly modified the Elysium project to do Chronos's bidding. It's all in the Caulfield report. This project on the other, we're undoubtfully assuring ourselves it doesn't fall into the wrong fingers this time. Otherwise, history will indeed repeat itself from where it began in Portland."

As soon as we step inside the elevator and make our descent to the project's chamber, Hendricks has something to warn us about. Or rather someone who must never leave the mines as well as the Elysium Forge.

"I should warn you three," said Hendricks. "There something or should I say someone down there who must never leave this compound alive. When we opened the rift to the Underworld, we let loose a couple of prisoners we've managed to detain in cryo-sleep. The call themselves the "Dark Order"."

"The Dark Order?" I thought. "And how dangerous can they be to let them leave this compound?"

"Dangerous enough to turn this entire site into a bloodbath. Far drastically so than ConDef."

"Just when we've had enough mystical enemies in this war than we've bargained for," said Cayce.

As soon as the lift hit the bottom floor, we walk through a tunnel in the mines lit with lamps to light the way. Along the way, there was staff roaming the tunnels and troops patrolling the tunnels. Eventually, we find the room where the prisoners are kept in cryo. The prisoners themselves looked very unusually.

The prisoner the cryo chamber were a man with sleek white hair and a robe, a woman with long hair and a bikini and trunks, and an old man in a robe, and a giant robust figure with a long beard and muscular body. Hendricks wasn't fibbing when she said dangerous by the look of the strange individuals.

"Dr. Hendricks," said Kristine. "Are these the prisoners?"

"Well, well," I said. "You weren't lying when you said dangerous by the looks of them."

"Dr. Kara Hendricks," said Cayce. "Who the fuck are they?"

"Say hello to the Dark Order, ladies and gents," said Hendricks. "From left to right is Nemesis the goddess of vengeance, Apollo the god of prophecy, Thanatos the god of death, and Hephaestus the god of masonry. Many of the staff were slaughtered by their hand when they emerged from the rift. If it weren't for Dhaled's men, I would've lost twice as many of my research team than I did. They were armed only with those."

The Dark Order's weapons were encased up on the wall like antique displays. The weapons they had were a trident, a bow with arrows, a spear, and a gigantic hammer with spikes embedded on the head and faces. Now that defines dangerous to slaughter everyone in the mines.

Finally, we arrive at the chamber. An opening clearing where generators and wires are hooked to a circular machine that looked to be built to open the rift. As well as the square-shaped MacGuffin standing on its pedestal, hooked to the machinery installed, and glowing into a blue tesseract lighting the cave. That was the Elysium Forge.

"Here she is," said Hendricks. "Commander Madsen, Corporal Foley, Lieutenant Prescott, I give you Project Tesseract. The key to the Underworld."

"Our mission was to discover the importance of this black project, Doc," said Cayce. "I assume we're going inside the underworld."

"Knock yourselves out. But I do recall saying that the last people who did so only had one survivor. Some of you may not make it back. If not none of you at all."

"That's an obligation we're willing to partake for the mission," I said. "How do we get inside?"

"That's the hard part. Our safety protocols suggest hazmat suits and to be inside the containment field we project near the opening at all time. You can grab a suit in our adjoining room."

"Permission to make a concern, Commander," said Kristine.

"Permission granted," I said.

"We don't know what we're dealing with in this Underworld they've discovered. Do you have a contingency to get word to HQ for worst case scenario?"

"Doctor, if we don't make it back, make sure Penske knows what Project Tesseract is and get the word out to HQ. It's vital that Chrysalis knows what prompts ConDef into this project."

"If you insist, Commander," replied Hendricks.

Cayce, Kristine, and I get our hazmat suits on and prepare to enter the Underworld. The three of us are also wearing a gas mask over our faces for safety protocols as well. We also arm ourselves to defend ourselves and step into the area of the containment field to do as protocol dictates. Hendricks has technicians to help us activate the machine so we can enter the Underworld.

"You do realize we're taking an awful risk here, Commander," said Cayce.

"Noted, Corporal," I said.

"Look, man. I understand the mission one-hundred percent. Point blank, it's bad enough we're busting ConDef on a daily basis. But an unknown enemy? In an unknown realm?"

"Yeah, it could be bad. But don't forget about Ares and his flying attack hound we encountered back on SF Spectre in San Fran and the church in Canyon County. Not to mention those Fallen creatures we faced in Portland, Seattle, and SF. We just might confront those hear too. Our enemy may not be as unknown as you think."

"You said Hendricks spoke of someone named Hades," said Kristine. "A top priority of ours, David?"

"Let's make it so. Hendricks, get that machine up and ready!"

"You heard the commander," said Hendricks to her technicians. "Begin the procedure."

"Yes, ma'am," said the technician. "Activating containment field."

The containment field project a blue energetic wall behind us to keep us safe. Then the machinery that projects the rift begins to sparkle electricity for its ignition.

"Initiating rift opening in three, two, one," said the technician.

Then the machine opens a portal-like entrance that is the rift to the Underworld. Causing an electronic gush of wind blowing through us around the field. Without further or do, it was time to step inside.

_"Good luck in there, Commander,"_ said Hendricks. _"We might lose contact with you in there. So, keep us updated so we know you're safe."_

"Copy that, Hendricks," I replied. "See you on the other side."

The three of us enter through the portal and make it through our gateway to the Underworld. Before we knew it, the rift closed behind us and there was no way in or out of this realm. When looking around us, we see a land of dread and horror. Stalactites and stalagmites growing out of the ceilings and grounds, flying creatures or objects roaming the sky like bats, and a sky of grey and red clouds with lightning strikes. Welcome to hell.

"Somehow I already regret coming here already, David," said Cayce. "I feel like I've just entered through the gates of hell."

"Just fall in line, Cayce," I said. "It'll be easier if you do."

The parallel place alone reminded me of Max's description of the place her, Chloe, and Rachel fought Crosby during Triple 4. I alone want to believe this is exactly where Derrick Crosby's last stand against my step-daughter and friends was taken place.

Every step we take in the Underworld is another we take into a possible death trap. Then suddenly, a voice was heard around us. That of a monstrous female voice in our ears.

_"Who dares enter the realm of the Underworld?"_ The voice asked.

All of us stop in our tracks with my hand signal to investigate the voice.

_"More mere mortals on a fool's errand?"_ The voice continued.

"Who are you?" I asked the voice. "Show yourself."

_"I ask the questions, mortal. You answer them. I repeat, who dare enter the Underworld?"_

"I'm Commander Madsen of the Chrysalis army. These are my companions Corporal Foley and Lieutenant Prescott."

_"They send soldiers to be the next souls with a death wish? How fitting. But where are my manners? Perhaps this is where I reveal myself."_

A strange female figure anonymously appears out of nowhere to introduce ourselves. Whoever the voice belonged to must belong to the figure before us. The figure herself looked grim in detail. Dark long hair, pale skin, and nude with her breast and vagina exposed. This is when she spoke to us face to face.

"I am Nyx," said the devilish female for her introduction. "Goddess of night. Daughter of Chaos. Sister of Erebus. Guardess of the Underworld. Consumer of souls. Servant of Hades. What brings you mortal soldiers into this world?"

"We request an audience with this Hades if he's willing to oblige," I said.

The goddess named Nyx smiled and chuckled under her breath.

"Only Hades decides who leaves here alive and who damns here dead," said Nyx. "First your weapons."

The three of do what Nyx asks of us to get our audience. As much as I have a bad feeling about her, I had an even worse feeling about Hades the way his servant made him sound. With our weapons relinquished, we're allowed audience with Hades.

"Now, follow me," said Nyx. Holding our weapons.

We follow Nyx into the abyss for the audience with Hades. Praying for our souls won't confront damnation in a place like this. I was once nobody to believe in dark fables like this, but Max's powers, the Arcadia Bay storm, Triple 4, that all changed everything I believed in.

Finally, Nyx greets us to the god of the Underworld himself. The ruler of hell sitting on a ginormous throne that fit his size and weight. Hades was wearing a grill-like helmet with horns shaped like Satan's and chains wrapped all around his body and limbs. Sitting ten feet tall and watching us enter his presence with his humble servant.

"Lord Hades," said Nyx. "I bring you three mere mortals from the human realm wishing an audience for an urgent matter."

"Leave us, Nyx," said Hades in a deep demonized voice. "I will speak with these mortals alone."

Nyx left us to talk with Hades individually. My heart is crossed to hope this conversation won't be our funeral.

"This is not good," said Cayce.

"You are not the traveler," said Hades.

"So, this is Hades," said Kristine. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Silence!" Hades snapped. "Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh. You touch my mind. Fumbling in ignorance. Incapable of understanding. The last mortals to approach me were attacked and killed by the Dark Order. Requital for their foolish attempt of attacking me."

"I don't think we should've come here," said Kristine.

"There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own, you cannot even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Hades! God of the Underworld. Ruler of souls. Protector of my Eternity Shard."

"We want no quarrel with you, Hades," I said. "We just answers."

"The same sentiments spoken by the previous mortals. And I had them extinguished for their deceit."

"We can be smarter than the last mortals if you'll test us. We need to know how to stop Ares and his ConDef army he's assembled that's ravaged our world for weeks."

"Ares? The god of war and first born to Zeus. Grandchild of Chronos. And nephew of mine. A label of balance obsessed with the concept of cleansing the population of our universe in hopes of lesser threats and conservable resourcefulness. In the end, what he chose to call balance is irrelevant. It simply is."

"Why is Ares doing what he's doing? What would he want with the Elysium Forge?"

"My nephew Ares has dreamed of a goal for centuries in the longevity. His entire life had been spent in believing mortal life can only survive should only half it be sustained in existence. To accomplish this dream, he has rallied armies to his cause, annihilated civilizations, on the path to finding the Eternity Shards. The elemental entities bringing balance to life in itself. The object you call the Elysium Forge should never have fallen into human hands from the beginning. As it contains an Eternity Shard itself."

"Eternity Shards? What does that have to do with the forge?"

"The shard contained in the forge itself is known as the Space Shard. The entity capable of controlling telepathy and teleportation. Ares alone has already acquired four out of the six shards. Soul, Mind, Power, and Reality. Should he claim the other two shards, Space and Time, he can wipe half of life with ease. By the snap of a finger."

"Exactly how can one snap of a finger exterminate half the lives that exist in our world?"

"Ares utilizes a weapon known as the Eternity Gauntlet. A weapon that can hold all six shards in unison and fulfill my nephew's goal in the blink of an eye. Soon, he will be after the Elysium Forge for the Space Shard. Which must never fall into his hands."

"Tell us about this traveler Ares speaks of. The traveler you speak of. Is it true? Is she really who I'm told she is? Is she really Max Caulfield?"

"The mortal you call Max Caulfield is indubitably the traveler. The one selected by the Sisters of Fate to hold the power of time in hopes of her holding the key to the Mantle of Possibility. Prophecy tells that Max's time wielding power can allow her to survive that great journey to the Ark of Genesis. A machine that can bring balance to eternity and reverse the motives of Ares. Should it be needed to."

"We need to stop your nephew at all cost. Protect the forge from him whatever it takes. Can you help us do that?"

"I have no control of anyone or anything outside my realm. If you're truly here for guidance in stopping Ares, I will grant you a reprieve. You're the first mortals I've ever returned the kindness to. As well as the last I ever will."

"If we've earned your trust, Hades, then I guess we are the last indeed."

"My confidant Nyx will return you to your realm. If I have aided you well in the answers you seek, then know this, mortal. In potential succession in stopping Ares, never return to my realm again or my trust will be thwarted. Until then, this exchange is over."

**Note: Another update on my life's situation. Been on edge with finals arriving soon, working longer than ever, and with that said, its harder for me to write a convoluted chapter like this. So, patience be with you all. **

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**

**P.S. Did anyone catch the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer?! It's freakin' awesome! What else is awesome is the final season of Game of Thrones premiering tomorrow night for those who watch the show!**


	9. Chronos

Chapter 9 Chronos

Max

July 22nd, 2017

10:47 AM

Mediterranean Islands

Mediterranean Sea

"Maxine Caulfield," said Chronos the god of time. "A face I'd never imagined witnessing again."

Chronos's entrance didn't appear as extreme as the last few times I've confronted him. If I could recall the last time I did, he nearly asphyxiated the life out of me and almost dropped me down a pit of magma where Crosby had fallen. Then I shoved a grenade in his chest and blew him off the bridge into the pit of lava. Guess it would take more than that to kill a god if a god could be killed at all. I made sure Alex got behind knowing how dangerous Chronos was to me.

"When we last met," said Chronos. "You were an enemy to be purged. After all that time, I was wrong."

"Some casual words for a god who murdered dozens and nearly annihilated my world during the battle of Triple 4 in Portland," I said. "And the god hellbent on my death!"

"If you believe I'm still the same enemy I once was to you, Traveler, then you must pay attention carefully."

"Why should I?"

Though you have no reason to, it's time I've explained the contrary. On my conquest with Derrick Crosby to unleash the realm of Elysium onto your realm, I had not plotted it individually. My grandson, Ares the god of war was the main party of the event you call Triple 4. He is your enemy now as you see fit."

"Ares plotted Triple 4 with you and Crosby? Why? How?"

"Over thousands of generations, Ares has sought himself on a conquest to balance the universe as we know it. You alone appeared to have learned why and how, but only know half the facts. Ares's dream of balance began during the Peloponnesian War when the Athens rebelled against Sparta. Then came the first Eternity War with King Arthur's knights versus the Saxons. And then the second Eternity War that had entered the first World War with Ezra Prescott's Herd of Whales. Next, the conflict of Triple 4 started by my protégé Derrick Crosby with Neo-Chrysalis. And now this Eternity War started by Ares and his confidantes Joanna Prescott and Elias Alkaline with the Continuum Defense Front."

"How exactly did each of those conflicts come into fruition by Ares? What's his true motive behind all his actions until now attempting to wipe half of life clean for his definition of balance?"

"In the beginning, my son Zeus and my daughter-in-law Hera gave birth to my grandson Ares who would later be pronounced the god of war. In his lifetime, Zeus had given Ares a peaceful life and a civilization to keep the peace and defend it against invaders. Granting him wealth, power, and resources for the people he swore to protect. When Ares had laid defiant eyes upon Zeus with his sedition for power, he eventually revolted against his own father and brought the war to his people. The consequences of Ares's defiance resulted in the destruction of his civilization. Undermining the population and resources of the people. A tragic turn of events that would later justify the foundation of his conquest in collecting the Eternity Shards for a greater balance between the people and the resourcefulness as well as the reduction of the threats that would diminish them."

"His true purpose of why he's doing what he's doing," said Alex.

"Correct. Ares's first attempt to impede an overpopulated universe was the first Eternity War between the Order of Saint Loomis and the Saxons. King Arthur led Saint Loomis opposing Ares who had led the Saxons with his adopted children and minions known as the Dark Order. A gang of renegade gods that included Apollo the god of prophecy, Nemesis the goddess of revenge, Thanatos the god of death, and Hephaestus the god of forgery and fire. Together, they and Ares fought the Order of Saint Loomis on the island of Meridian Prime with their army of Saxons. Arthur's wizard named Merlin confronted me for my aid and I provided him with the Eternity Gauntlet with all six shards with the privilege in my name. Including an ally that was a creature known as the Chrono Dragon. In the battle on Meridian Prime, Merlin was in control of the Dragon via the gauntlet until Ares took the gauntlet from Merlin along with his life and resumed control. Allowing him to conquer Arthur's order, his knights of the round table, and Arthur himself. Thus, Ares for the first achieved his goal and destroyed the population by the snap of a finger."

"Ares actually wiped the universe in half?" I thought. "How are we all still standing if he did? And what's this Chrono Dragon you speak of? Does this Dark Order still exist?"

"The way you once saved the life of William Price is the way Merlin reversed the curse. Only with the Soul Shard, he programmed to save his life should it ever be taken from him. In his resurrection, he had taken back the gauntlet from Ares, returned to the Ark of Genesis, and linked the Eon Codex with the Eternity Gauntlet so that half the population would be brought back to his will. The Time Shard being his greatest ally and becoming the first traveler to wield the power. You've encountered the Chrono Dragon yourself back in Greece where you had first met my grandson. That is the creature I refer to. The Dark Order is still at large to this present day. Only to currently be imprisoned by your human primitives in Lebanon. The destination the Space Shard is currently protected by Hades and the humans who keep it in their grasp."

"Chrysalis," said Alex.

"Correct. In the second Eternity War that entered the first World War, a similar setback was committed by Ares in his next conquest opposed by Ezra Prescott. Leader of the Herd of Whales. When Ezra confronted the same dire consequences Merlin had thousands of years earlier, he discovered the same trick Merlin performed to save that population that had fallen into Ares's decimation. As a result, it costed the life of Ezra to save the trillions that were taken. Just as it had taken Merlin's. Now Ares has culminated the army you call ConDef for his third conquest in keeping the balance. It is now in your hands complete your quest before Ares completes his."

"Why are all these statues here?" I asked. "Why do Arthur's knights have the same sigils Ezra's gang does?"

"Impeccable question. You may know the Herd of Whales was descendant upon the Order of Saint Loomis. In return, Ezra's herd took the roles of each knight on the round table and had taken their sigils."

Chronos presented the places of each knight taken by a herd member and transformed the knight statues in herd statues. All from right to left as the statues shapeshifted by Chronos's power. Road calling each name in each place of the statues as Chronos altered them.

"Jeremiah Blackwell in the place of Lancelot the Bigfoot. Christopher Carter in the place of Tristan the Dragon. Anna Laurie in the place of Malory the Pegasus. Martin Prescott in the place of Percival the Monkey. Ezekiel Blackwell in the place of Gawain the Scale. Willem Hayes in the place of Galahad the Skeleton Hands. Richmond Need in the place of Lionel the Dolphin. Joseph Barrell in the place of Gareth the Trident. Tariq bin Malik in the place of Lamorak the Tiger. Yazid al-Basra in the place of Bors the Snake. Adam Baldric in the place of Bedivere the Skeletons. And Ezra Prescott in the place of Arthur the Whale."

"Impressive," said Alex.

"How is it that it's just now that you're changing your mind about who I am to you?" I asked. "About being the enemy?"

"After Crosby's defeat and my defeat, I had survived the fall into the Underworld's magma and was to be judged by the Sisters of Fate themselves. I was once part of Ares's cause along with the Dark Order. Hence my plot in Triple. Albeit my relations with Ares and the Dark Order were an act of blasphemy, the sisters offered me a reprieve. That if I were to help the Traveler in the following conflict opposed to stopping her, I would earn my redemption. That is how I've come to you now, Traveler."

"The enemy of your enemy is your friend, Maximus," said Alex.

"Perhaps I should now be asking the more popular question of them all," I said. "How can I actually defeat Ares? And would I need to do so in the same way Merlin and Ezra had?"

"Ares may have fallen for the same trick twice," said Chronos. "But he may never take the fall again. Max, I've come to offer you a deal. It matters not if you trust me enough to take it. There is a way I shall help you defeat Ares in this utmost desperate hour without sacrificing the life of a traveler. If you take the Time Shard from me, I can be in charge of its power as you utilize it to your own free will. Not only will it enhance the powers gifted to you, but I can also manipulate the shard when you cannot. Thus, it may value your greater odds of hindering Ares."

Chronos made the Time Shard appear over the palm of his hand and hovered it over to me. Forging and thing string around it so I could wear the shard like a necklace as I manipulate. As soon as the Time Shard necklace is placed over my head and around my neck, Chronos makes this second my only chance of accepting his deal.

"This is my final offer, Traveler," said Chronos. "Do wish to accept my guidance or don't you?"

**X/SQUARE/LM – ACCEPT CHRONOS'S DEAL**

**B/CIRCLE/RM – REJECT CHRONOS'S DEAL**

"Okay," I said. "I accept."

"A wise decision," said Chronos. "Time is running short, Traveler. You must hurry while there's still time to complete your quest. Go to Meridian Prime. There you will find the Ark of Genesis and foil Ares's plot to obliterate half your people living on the Earth. But be warned, the shard can never touch the fingers of Ares. Protect it with your life if you will. Ares is only two shards away from his dream. Farewell, Maxine Caulfield. We shall meet again in another time in another place."

With all that said and done, Chronos left our presence through the rift he traveled with and vanished without a trace. It was just us now again in the chamber. There had to be a way out of here now but couldn't see one. The door we hauled open was sealed when we had shut it behind us to get in here.

Alex and I walked around the Arthur/Ezra statue to find an interesting looking wall. It appeared to be linked to the Time Shard as it was glowing on my chest like the Eye of Agamotto. Then my hand was glowing green. The same hand I use to rewind and such. I then put my hand out in front of me and two green symbols were projected in front of my two hands as I put them both in front of me and then something was happening to the wall.

I can feel the essence of the Time Shard inside of me and felt a bit more comfortable than the essence of my standard powers. Making the side effects of my power a better massager than a buzz saw. The power of the shard was opening the wall like stop-motion Lego bricks into an exit with a lift to take us back out of the chamber. I withdrew the shard's power once our exit was completely open. Now I was Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange.

"Abracadabra, Max," said Alex. "Now your Dr. Steven Strange. If you know what movie I'm talking about."

"Wowser, did that feel good," I said.

"Feel good? Doesn't it hurt when you use your power?"

"Not with this shard it didn't. Not anymore."

The two of us step on the lift and I pull the lever in the middle to get us upward.

"Okay, where to now?" I asked.

As soon as we were back on the surface again, we spotted another statue from a distance. One that looked just like Arthur.

"Holy shit," said Alex.

"Another Arthur statue," I said.

"You know, I'm start to get the feeling that our Prescott friend was a bit of a narcissist."

"Ya think?"

"Hell, yeah. He did take his own life just to save the world with the power of the Eternity Gauntlet. Let's hope you never have to do that yourself."

"I can't name one Prescott who isn't a narcissist. Except for maybe Caroline and Kristine."

"Let's go see what else Arthur has in store for us."

Unfortunately for us, it was a long way down for us given that we were standing on a cliffside getting off the lift. Fortunately for us, there was a rope tip zip across to get to the bottom. We were gonna need it.

"So, Max," said Alex. "And be honest with me. How does this stack up? You know, compared to your other adventures?"

"Ask me again when we finish," I replied. "If we both live to tell the tale."

The two of us zip across with a hook attached to the rope and pray it doesn't snap and it didn't. The line took us back to square one near the barricaded front entrance of the Arthur hideout we walked into earlier. The boat was just below us.

"Boat's down there," I pointed.

"After you, Captain," said Alex.

As soon as I were in the water again, I notice the sky was cloudier and grayer than before. Either the weather was partly cloudy or partly cloudy with a chance of rain. Unless it thunders out, its likely a chance of rain. I really don't want to be driving into stormy waters if it is. I drive the boat to where we'd seen the Arthur statue rise out of the sand as our final destination.

"Okay," said Alex. "Island with monstrous Arthur statue is to the right. I'm so excited my ha – my hands are literally shaking."

"Yeah," I said. "I know the feeling."

"Either that or I – I just need another cigarette. Maybe a little bit of both."

I parked the boat near the sand again a see the Arthur statue towering above us. Taller than the watch tower we climbed up before. It's Lady Liberty compared to anything we've seen here.

"There he is!" Alex said out loud. "Jeez, talk about larger than life."

"Yeah," I said. "He's big."

"Looks like he's got a spyglass but he's not really looking through it."

"Maybe he wants us to look through it."

"Treasure Island, eat your heart out."

Upon walking over to the stature, I notice the breeze of wind I feel chilling my body. Wind that was picking up too. Definitely the sign of a storm.

As soon as we walked up high enough on a platform behind the statue, one of us was going to need to give someone a boost in order to see through the glass. I chose to give Alex the boost but she insisted the other way around. And so, we did just the thing. I stepped on Alex's palms for the boost upward and I climbed over the small platform I stood on to look through the glass.

"Alright, you're grace," I said. "What are we looking at?"

As soon as I peeked through the glass, I saw the island herself from miles away. Meridian Prime in the flesh. That was our destination to the Ark of Genesis itself.

"There," I said.

"So?" Alex wondered. "Big, skull-shaped island? What?"

"Big island," I replied.

I jumped off the platform to get back to Alex. Now it was thundering out as well as flashes of lightning were seen too. Certainly, a storm coming. We need to get off this island and on course to Meridian Prime immediately.

"No skull," I finished.

"That's gotta be it," said Alex. "Meridian Prime."

"That's optimistic considering everything."

"You know, it is just us here. You're allowed to feel just to feel a little bit of excitement over this. On top of that, Chronos just gave you an upgrade to your power."

"I'll get excited when we get Ares's nooses off our necks. C'mon."

Alex scoffed.

"Okay," she said.

"What?" I thought.

"I said 'okay'."

"No, no, no. Your 'okays' are never just okay. It usually means the opposite of okay."

"Whoa, whoa…"

Something had caught Alex's eye behind me. Speaking of the opposite of okay, when I turned in her direction, it's exactly what I thought she'd seen. ConDef military boats speeding across the salty sea. Headed for the island. Thanks to the intel I gave them when I was drugged to death again, it didn't surprise me they'd be here.

"Is that our boy, Alkaline?" I rhetorically ask.

"Who the hell else?" Alex instigated.

"Ah, shit."

**Note: Still caught in the middle of finals, but keeping up the pace with these chapters as I can.** **Its even harder to right two exposition heavy chapters while managing more imperative things in my lifetime. Essentially college. At least I've managed to flesh out Ares's justifiable motives a bit more as I wanted to. Similar to another iconic villain's motives if you can guess who. Which reminds me, I'm seeing Avengers: Endgame on Saturday! If I can get my tickets in time that is.**

**Anyway, I hope you've all had a Happy Easter and until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	10. Marooned

Chapter 10 Marooned

Max

July 22nd, 2017

11:52 AM

Mediterranean Sea

1 Mile to Meridian Prime

Alex and I have been floating on the stormy sea for almost an hour and the ConDef boats were catching up to us by the dozens. I make sure the windshield wipers are on and our guns we locked and loaded to defend ourselves when need be.

"Max, they're gaining on us!" Alex shouted.

* * *

"Oh, shit!" I jumped.

I bounce off the boat after a mortar hits us near the front of our boat and my body dunks into the ocean. I swim my head up back to the surface and gasp for air.

* * *

"Max!" Alex called out on the boat.

"Alex!" I hollered back at her.

* * *

"Head straight to the island!" Alex navigated. "Watch it, watch it!"

"Oh, shit!" I startled.

The big ConDef boat drives into us and rams us off our boat and destroys our boats in two. Causing the two of us to go overboard and into the salt water.

"Max!" Alex screamed.

* * *

I crawl onto the soaked shore of the island as my clothes and hair were drenched wet with salt water and rainfall. I could taste the salt liquid of the Mediterranean Ocean from my tongue through my throat and lungs as I cough it all out. Belly crawling on the soaking sand of the island. I knew I just barely survived getting washed up on the beaches of Meridian Prime.

As I begin to get up with my knees and catch my breath, I could see a downed ConDef boat burning by the rocks sticking out of the shallow water. Must've been the mortar boat that hit us and destroyed our boat and went down when we were hit from the interception. Alex was nowhere in sight. Either means she survived and got washed up like I did or she died in the crash.

"Alright…c'mon, Max," I panted. "I gotta get off this beach."

It was raining super hard from where I stood. A little harder than it did in Arcadia when the storm came. Then I notice I wasn't wearing the shard around my neck anymore. And then I notice the shard was lying down on the beach. I immediately took it back in my hands and picked it up before the wind had taken it from me. I put the Time Shard necklace around my neck again. Maybe it wouldn't be a safe place to keep in the middle of this storm but I had no other options.

"Alex!" I yelled out. "Alex, can you hear me?! Maybe farther up the shore."

I proceeded across the beach and mantled over a timbered palm tree. Then I slipped over the mud and lost my footing. My face falling flat on a rain puddle as I did. I got back up while barely staying dry in this heavy rain and as a marooned castaway.

"Ah, Alex, goddammit," I panted. "Alex!"

Still no sign of Alex. I had to climb over some rocky ledges just to get to high ground and cross the shore. I kept hollering Alex's name for a chance to find her but to no avail. I shimmy across a wall and then find our boat marauded in pieces on the sand. With our supply box lying around too. But still no Alex in sight.

"Oh, thank God," I said. "Our supply box."

I walked over to the box and opened it. Just to find it empty in the least surprising way possible. All probably down the bottom of the ocean by now.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," I bickered. "Of course. Everything's gone. Wait, maybe that's a good sign. Maybe Alex took it."

That's if Alex were still alive, she may have taken all the gear we had to survive long enough in this storm. The possibility was slim to none.

I just remembered Bryan flying Chloe and everyone else to the Chrysalis ship the Oregon. If they had to fly in the middle of this storm, they'd be in trouble too.

"Well, on the bright side," I said. "Can't lose anything else…besides my life. Talking to myself. That's – that's the first sign of…crazy."

I find myself pushing through more high platforms to climb over that was tough to do with rainwater rendering the rocky surfaces slippery. Even fell on my knees hopping over one platform. I was losing the energy to move and had to stay on my feet for as long as possible. I can feel the rapid rainfall soaking my hair, skin, and clothes that made it harder and harder on myself. Just push through, Caulfield. Just push through.

While walking over a narrow edge, the rock was coming down and I nearly slipped off my ground. Until I barely moved aside to shimmy across the broken ground. To hell with this place already. Just imagine if it were like this for Arthur or Ezra when they first arrived here. How would they survive this mess?

I was running out of ground the further I got. I now had to climb and shimmy across a little waterfall on the other end of this limestone. When I began climbing, the slippery ass rock made me lose my grip and catch it back on a lower ledge. Then I had to climb over the falling water with some stepping stones. And then, I slip again and fall all the way down a ditch where the water was falling. Aching my back, bones, and body as I collapsed on impact and rendering me unconscious.

My body gradually moved until I fell limp in the muddy sand and fell asleep in the rain. Passing out the way I did in Jefferson's dark room. I was weakened and beaten by the rain. And I just laid there with my eyelids sealed.

* * *

David

July 22nd, 2017

5:15 PM

Beirut, Lebanon

Mar Mitr Station

After our encounter with Hades, I return to the rest of Valor Team with Kristine and Cayce to Mar Mitr station. Beirut's secondary station for the Resistance. At the station, I tell Cage to gather Dhaled, Mason, and Heard to the debriefing room so Cayce, Kristine, and I could inform Penske of what we've learned in Hades' Underworld.

Dhaled walked us to debriefing and we were able to make contact with Penske on the Oregon via video screen. As soon as we hailed the admiral and everyone was gathered around the debriefing table, I tell him what Hades had told us immediately.

"She is the key to this war," I said to the Admiral.

_"Maxine Caulfield?"_ Penske wondered. _"What makes you believe in so?"_

"If what Hades had told us is true and as much as it's hard for me to believe it too, she is the reason ConDef has committed acts of war worldwide."

_"I find it difficult to believe that one girl would single-handedly spark the cataclysm of war."_

"It's not just Max. There's a third party who started this war long before Alkaline and Joanna Prescott. If you recall the mystery of Operation Ares, Ares isn't just a codename. He's an actual individual acting as the tip of the spear for all ConDef activity while Alkaline and Joan are only the apprentices of the Sith master."

_"And this is coming from the words of this Hades who we know nothing about?"_

"All we know is that this Ares has been plotting everything since day zero. The attack on Seattle, the attack in San Fran, the MIT raid, the Canyon County raid, even the war in Beirut as we speak. But that's not all. Ares's main goal is to collect this cosmic objects Hades calls the Eternity Shards. Objects he wants to use for a weapon called the Eternity Gauntlet. Right now, he's collected four out of the six shards. The one shard he needs to collect is part of Project Tesseract. Should he get all the shards, he could use them to destroy half of every individual on this planet by the click of a finger. Which I don't mean metaphorically."

_"Commander Madsen, Chrysalis has bargained with the devil before and it never helped that we did. For instance, Derrick Crosby's Project Elysium homed by Chronos who manipulated Crosby to develop the project itself. Resulting in the atrocity that was Triple 4. Why should we have any reason to believe in a fable like this one?"_

"It's a fable we're willing to take seriously if we have any chance of stopping Ares and ConDef themselves," said Cayce. "As for Max Caulfield, it might explain why she's gone rogue again to take this war into her own hands."

_"Max Caulfield goes beyond the question. Speaking of, Caulfield herself was sited a day ago in Rome. But that doesn't signify her importance in this war."_

"We had a mission to complete, Admiral. That's exactly what we did. And here we are now informing you of what we learned from Project Tesseract thanks to our access by Dr. Hendricks."

_"The mission, Commander, was to understand the whereabouts of Project Tesseract. Which I'm pleased you have, but your mission far from over. While everything you've learned will indeed be noted, the Resistance still requires Chrysalis to keep Beirut out of enemy hands. Colonel Dhaled of all people should've stimulated yourselves on that already."_

"Admiral, have the refugees made it on board?" Dhaled asked. "Are my people safe. Is there room for everybody?"

_"All of your refugees, Colonel, have been either secured in our sanctuary on the Oregon or transferred to other ships in the fleet carrying refugees as well. I will inform HQ and Chrysalis Intelligence of what Madsen, Foley, and Prescott have uncovered. Captain Cage, make sure Commander Madsen falls in line as well as the rest of your team with him. As for you, Lieutenant Prescott, we've been surveying your account history and so far, no evidence of you-know-what. But your punishment still stands and we'll still be watching you. Penske out."_

The admiral hangs up and it was Dhaled's turn to do the talking.

"So now what?" Cayce asked.

"Now we listen to our next orders from the Colonel, Foley," said Cage. "Dhaled?"

Dhaled projects a map of Beirut on the table to begin the debriefing. Our next assignment to take back Beirut from ConDef.

"Our next mission," began Dhaled. "Is to take down the head of the ConDef occupation in Beirut."

Dhaled projected an image ID of one of ConDef's leaders.

"General Rihn Alif," introduced Dhaled. "One of ConDef's top military officers and corrupt leaders reigning the ConDef invasion in Lebanon. We take him out and ConDef surrenders all aggression in Beirut."

"That's it?" Cayce questioned. "A simple attempt on this General's life is all it takes for ConDef surrender?"

"It won't be simple. Alif is located in the Capital Towers in the Mar Youhanna sector located near Sassine Square. It'll be heavily secured by armored vehicles and Alif has prisoners of war and civilian captives he's using as hostage leverage against any Resistance or Chrysalis interference. They will be our first objectives before assassinating Alif."

Dhaled highlighted the objectives on the projected map as he walked us through.

"We will send in stealth teams to do the damage subtly," continued Dhaled. "If we were to march full-scale assault on the blockades, Alif would order the hostages to be executed the very second we do. So, we'll use C4 and other plastic explosives to ghost ourselves out. Once the explosives are dealt with, we'll sneak into the compound using the sewer system, save the hostages, set off the charges, and immediately launch our assault on the Tower. Then we will eliminate Alif on sight and begin the uprising. Questions before this debriefing's adjourned?"

"An uprising you say?" Kristine asked. "So, you're saying we'll be throwing civilians towards the enemy that could get them killed in the crossfire?"

"Not throwing civilians. Protecting. Penske did inform me who you are or who you were. So, don't attempt anything clever."

"I assume Valor Team will play a role with the stealth teams then?" I asked. "And we have to be split up as usual if we will?"

"If that's your Captain's choice, Commander," said Dhaled.

"I can split my team into twos and have them join the stealth squads," said Cage. "Madsen, you can take Foley, Prescott, Wheeler, and Mason. Heard, you'll come with me and you're other two battle buddies."

"Always," said Heard.

"What happens after Alif is killed and the hostages are out of their cages?" Mason asked.

"We confirm Alif's death and take the hostages to one of your refugee sanctuaries in your fleet," said Dhaled. "Then we'll reclaim Beirut once the war is over. If there are no more questions, consider yourselves dismissed."

"I'll go tell the boys about the mission," said Heard.

"I won't let you down, Captain," said Mason. "I never have."

As soon as Dhaled, Heard, and Mason left the room, Cage had a few words for the rest of us before we left.

"So far, so good on this mission, Madsen," said Cage. "Can't really say if I believe anything you've explained to Penske or not. Much less if Caulfield is inadvertently responsible for this war. But all I can say is keep the good work. Prescott, you're only just redeeming your trust by a bare minimum. So, no more cleverness from here onward. Or good luck explaining your defense to the Admiralty during your court-martial. This discussion is over."

"Tell me, Cage," said Kristine. "Would they have court-martialed you three years ago after the Blackwell raid turned mutiny staged by my executed father?!"

"I said! – This discussion is over."

**Note: I only have one more week of college left and then I'll be in the clear to more afterward. But I may have to take some summer classes as a minor compromise in order to graduate. This must go without saying but I've recently seen Avengers: Endgame and it was HELLA FUCKING AWESOME! The true ending to the Infinity Saga as Kevin Feige calls it.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	11. Meridian Prime

Chapter 11 Meridian Prime

Max

July 22nd, 2017

Time Unknown

Destination Unknown

Location Unknown

I'm all alone again in the charred forest with burnt stumps, falling ash, and grey skies. Isolated in a land of damnation and back to my nightmares where I saw everyone I care about to die with their flesh intact and their skeletal remains. And here I am again experiencing another grim vision of mine in the burned forest.

My spirit doe is spotted in the middle of the woodland. Glancing at myself before prancing away as usual. I run after it like I always do and then encounter a difference in this vision of the burned forest. Not only am I running through shadowy substances with whispering voices, but I'm also seeing people drifting in the woods as well. Human beings just wondering around as if nothing was happening. The voices whispered in my ears as I was chasing the doe and running past the people.

_"When a bridge burns, another one is rebuilt."_

_"If you're done lying to me, you should stop lying to yourself."_

_"It just isn't worth it, Max. Let this one go."_

_"It seems your loyalty isn't as firm as you like to think it is."_

_"The next time we see ourselves eye to eye, I will tell you every last detail."_

I was now witnessing something stranger in this vision. The wondering humans were now deteriorating into particles of dust until their forms were nothing but thin air. The people were turning into ash. Their bodies decaying into ash roaming the air like they were sand. Their voices screaming in terror until eventually silenced. More horrifying ways to go out than gruesomely butchered into corpses or decayed into human remains.

After running past the shadow voices and dusted beings, I finally find the doe again who then gallops away from me and then I see him again. I see Ares standing in front of me and looking at me in the eye from a short distance. Then a flying raven glides past me and lands on Ares's should where it sits on him and caws.

The next thing I witness is Ares raising his Eternity Gauntlet into a fist full of all six Eternity Shards and not just four. Power, Space, Reality, Soul, Time, and Mind all illuminating on the knuckles and palm of his eternal weapon. I stood my ground with a pale likeness on me. My chest racing and my minding jittering about what Ares was about to do with his gauntlet.

Before I knew it, I did exactly what I thought he might do. He clenched three of his fingers with his gauntlet on and snapped them. I hear a click. Then a hum. And then nothing.

* * *

Max

July 22nd, 2017

12:22 PM

Meridian Prime

Mediterranean Coast

My eyes open back to reality. My face muffled on the ground and my body half soaked and half dried. Returning to consciousness from another incursive vision of Ares. One where I believed to have actually foreseen the one thing the guardians of the Eternity Shards, who are the Sisters of Fate and Chronos, have warned me about since.

I lift myself up with my hands and knees and stand my ground again. I could feel any more liquid bucketing down. Nor could I hear and rain outside. No sounds of thunder either. Can't tell how long I was out but the storm must have passed.

As I walk myself out of the cave I fell in after slipping off the drenched wall and before passing out, I begin to accumulate what I just saw in my last vision. Not only did I see Ares click is finger with his gauntlet on and all the shards inserted, but I watched people die like the dust in the wind. Could that be how half of everyone dies if Ares ever succeeded? What if it were to happen to Chloe or Alex or whoever else I've cared about? I didn't even want to imagine. Let alone find out.

I find an opening out of the cave and then see a tiny flicker in the distance. Sparking out in the mountains of Meridian Prime. Flickering like Morse Code. I tried to translate what the small flash on the far side of the island was saying using the code. Could it be her?

"N…O…No sacrifice, no victory," I said to myself. "Alex…"

Glad I remembered my Morse Code Alex once taught me in Seattle.

I noticed my flashlight was missing until I found it lying on the ground behind me. I quickly picked it up to flicker the light back to Alex to signal her Morse Code back. I started flickering the light on and off with the right code but to no reply.

"C'mon," I whispered. "Where are you? Crap."

I stopped flickering the light and began pushing forward. At least I'm no aware Alex survived the crash with me. Now I just had to find her and meet her on the other side. Even it was easier said than done. Also still had my Time Shard wrapped around me which was a greater relief for my sake.

Alex's flicker had come from near a strange mountain that looked to elevate higher than Mount Rushmore and Mount Everest combined. As if something were special about that mountain, to begin with. I remember the stories Alex and Bryan used to say about where the Ark of Genesis was hidden. An underground city known as High Providence underneath a mountain known as Mount Genesis. If my sight didn't deceive me, is the ark closer than I think?

"Just stay put, Alex," I said to myself. "I'm coming to you."

There was a lot of elevating I was going to need to do myself. I was still located on the coastline of Meridian Prime and traveling around this island was going to require more rock climbing over cliffs and platforms. At least the dryer weather would go easier on me if that said much. I notice the sky above me beginning to clear itself from rain clouds with a pink sky for the sunshine to come out.

I can remember eleven years back during my camping trip with Chloe, Alex, Dad, Bryan, and William. When Alex and Bryan taught us how to climb a cliff down to the lakeside of the Wilson River where we'd set up the fire and tents. Really wish I could've been doing more climbing with Alex to prepare myself for matters like this. Too bad Mom would banish me if I ever did.

While climbing over rocks and ledges, shimmying around walls, and jumping towards platforms, it was a long drop down if I ever fell down. I had been elevating next to another waterfall that was more large scale and coming from river water and not rainwater. Even had to use my rope a couple of times just to either climb up to certain platforms or swing across chasms. The adventures of Max Croft come to life.

After getting up to one particular platform next to the falls, I spot more boats out in the distant waters approaching the shore. Another batch of ConDef boats to be doubtless. Only this time, the convoy of boats appeared to have a bigger one surrounded by smaller escort boats. I can only tell you-know-who needed a bigger boat.

"Joanna," I said. "Ah, dammit. Watch your back, Alex."

* * *

Joanna – Age 47 (POV)

Elias – Age 55

July 22nd, 2017

12:30 PM

Meridian Prime

Mediterranean Coast

After months of planning this war with Alkaline, the Dark Order, and Ares, Max and Alex are still two thorns in our side. We couldn't stop them in Vancouver, we couldn't stop them in Greece, we couldn't stop them in Rome, and there's no telling if we've stopped them now.

I have dreamt of a day when the Prescott family would rejoice and be united in salvation. Where the Herd of Whales would be sparked as the eternal society in the name of Ares when he assembles every Eternity Shard and unleashes the reclamation with the Ark of Genesis. And when that day comes, the Prescott name will be bowed upon and no longer spat on. If only my loyal brother and dead nephew could see what will become of our family now. A shame my traitorous niece and sister-law will soon no longer live to see the day. Unfortunately for me, the longer Max lives, the more Ares would want to behead me. I refuse to let the deaths of Sean and Nathan go vainly.

Our boat is docked on the shores of Meridian Prime along with the escort boats. My partner's men have already set up a base on the shoreline of the island. Elias and I get off our boat and walk towards the ConDef encampment with Elias's lieutenants Tie and Beluga to escort us.

"I can assure you there's no way they survived that storm on their own," said Elias.

"I can assure you there was no way they could've survived that bar fight in Vancouver, that blizzard in Greece, and that plane crash in Rome either!" I snapped. "Every breath Max draws is another force of hand Ares will have our heads for that."

"I alone have underestimated the two of them as well, my lady, but we had them in our grasp in Rome!"

"We?! You mean you had them when you drugged Max in that crowd and subdued Alex at the Ludus Magnus. Right before we let them out of our site again! The next time we catch them, see to it that we don't. By now, Max must have the Time Shard already."

"And Ares has four of the other shards. If anything, he's more ahead than Ms. Caulfield."

"As long as there's one shard in someone's fingers that isn't Ares's, our mission is doomed to fail."

"Let's not forget about the codex either."

ConDef troops approached us for a report.

"Lady Prescott, General Alkaline," said one of the troopers. "We found the wreckage of the boat that belonged to the Caulfields. No sign of neither of their bodies. Nor the shard and codex."

"Then they're not dead then, are they?" I figured.

"Continue searching the island," ordered Elias. "If they're alive, they must have gone into the mountains. Make sure the shard and codex are with them too."

"Yes, sir," replied the trooper. "Eon aeturnum."

"General," said another approaching us. "We have an urgent message from Beirut. It's General Alif, sir. He wishes your presence."

* * *

Elias and I march to the triage where the message from Alif was coming from. We responded to the transmission via video phone and Alif was on screen.

_"Chrysalis has arrived in Beirut,"_ said Alif on screen. _"The Resistance now has a greater advantage against our stronghold in the city with their allies enforced."_

"We have handled our own against Chrysalis for years, Rihn," said Elias. "Them and couple of dwindling Resistance foes won't stand a chance with our greater numbers."

_"It's not their numbers that concern me, Elias. It's their mission that does. They've taken Dr. Hendricks out of our captivity and now have access to Project Tesseract. They now must know something about it which we've sworn not to let them!"_

"So, it would seem," said a deep voice behind us.

Elias and I turn behind us to see the one and only Ares arriving in our presence out of nowhere as usual. Elias's men in the triage bent the knee and bowed before Ares upon his entrance. The two of us as well take a bow before him. When Ares stands between us and sees Alif eye to eye, Alif himself bows on screen too.

"General Alif," said Ares.

_"Lord Ares,"_ said Alif while taking his bow. _"To what do I owe the pleasure?"_

"We shall not fear Chrysalis. You may think they've won but we both know they have not. Them learning of Project Tesseract will not change the tide. I assume the Elysium Forge is still secure at the site it's been located in?"

"Yes, Ares. They still have your Dark Order friends in their capture too."

"No one has ever imprisoned the Dark Order forever and no one ever will. Prepare yourself for another attack in Beirut. Chrysalis will indeed want to take that forge for themselves and so would the Traveler. I will be there to retrieve the forge and rescue my children personally. No one leaves with that forge except for me."

"And what will we do while you're warmongering in Beirut?" Elias asked.

"You two, on the other hand, will find the two rats in the maze, kill them if you have to, and take the Time Shard and Eon Codex from them. I will go to Beirut to take the Elysium Forge carrying the Space Shard, bring the Dark Order to the fight, and bring Chrysalis and the resistance to their knees. Do I make myself clear?"

"Sure," I replied.

"With pleasure," replied Elias.

_"As you wish, Lord Ares,"_ replied Alif. _"Eon aeturnum."_

The transmission ended and Ares said his last words to us before leaving.

"Though Max and Alex may have given you the slip many times until now," he said. "Your reputation proceeds you granting me four Eternity Shards. Find the other two shards with the codex and I shall reward the Herd of Whales with good fortune, Lady Joanna. If you fail, it will be your head."

"And do you still want Max and Alex killed on sight just to take the shard and codex from them?" I asked.

"You know precisely what I want them to be. I suggest getting to it. Eon Aeturnum."

"Eon Aeturnum."

Ares made his exit out of the triage and teleported is way off the island via a portal from the power of a god. Still knows how and when to make a quick entrance and exit so conveniently.

"Still a fast traveler he is, I must say," I said.

"Everyone out of the triage," ordered Elias. "I will speak to Lady Joanna alone."

Elias's troops did as they were ordered and left us alone to speak privately. The man himself looked down and disturbed as usual and I knew exactly why.

"I know what you're about to bring up and it's getting unhealthy," I said.

"So, what now then?" Elias thought. "Isn't there something about him that rubs you the wrong way? He expects respect from us and yet we've been getting no respect from him in return."

"What does that have to do with your obsession?"

"We may have retrieved the Reality Shard from that crash, Joan. But not the codex. Though we've succeeded in some tasks to his cause, we've failed in others. Whenever my men fail, Ares cuts them down like pigs. But whenever we fail, we're let off the hook. Don't you ever feel my men are more expendable than the two of us? That he's only stalling our death for a looser end to tie down?"

"Ares has been a messiah for many armies for generations in the making. Though his morality is flawed, his leadership isn't."

"His leadership and morality are flawed-"

"Which is why the Herd of Whales have submitted to his discipline over opposing it as my grandfather's herd had decades ago."

"I don't what idiocrasy you're experiencing right now but I Ares has manipulated yourself. And manipulated me with the rest of ConDef too."

"I will not be influenced by the sins of my ancestors, Elias. My grandfather Ezra defied the will of Ares and his side of the war was utterly decimated. I won't make the same mistake a hundred years onward."

"Your family has made a history of mistakes, Joan. Some they believed to be solutions. Sean, Nathan, Caroline, Kristine, they were all a proud family once. Until the days came when your nephew was murdered, your brother tried, imprisoned, and executed, and your niece and sister-in-law switched sides to an avowed enemy to ConDef and the herd."

"They all made the choices that got them where they are now. I will make do with mine that will get me to where I will be. Do not let your fear of what Ares will do to us overcome you."

"It's not just that, my lady. I've served for Ares, killed for Ares, but if there's one fear greater than what he'll do to us both, it's – it's…"

"It's?"

"Losing you."

I frown. The first time I've ever heard the words "Losing you" from him.

"I know that must sound awkward to you, but…but-"

"Go on. Say it. I won't be offended."

"I've wanted our relationship to be professional, but by now I feel more than that for you. Would you feel more than that for me?"

I smile and touch Elias's cheek.

"Elias, I think you've earned the right to feel that way about me more than ever now. If that's what you want for me, that's what I'll want for you."

The ConDef general himself looked at me with a glad smirk and I returned it to him. Then to give him what he wanted, I nudged my head closer to his, shut my eyes, and made contact with our lips locking against each other. Caressing our hands on each other hips as we did that. We haven't kissed one another in a long time due to our debatable relationship. But now this can confirm we can be more than partners. We stopped kissing and looked at ourselves in the eye for one final word.

"May the herd guide us all," said Elias.

"May the herd guide us all," I repeated.

**Note: So, folks, I'm done with Junior year! I can confirm that I will not be taking summer courses and instead take the rest of my gen eds throughout Senior year in order to graduate on schedule. I'll try to get episode 4 done as frequently as possible and I also look forward to playing Life Is Strange 2 Episode 3: Wastelands tomorrow! I'm also gonna try and watch Avengers: Endgame for the second time in theaters in a couple of days from now after getting through my Junior semesters! As another thing to note, I'm beginning to write a few chapters through the perspectives of the antagonists of this story now just to develop them further and not rely on backstory.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	12. The Enemy of My Enemy

Chapter 12 The Enemy of My Enemy

David

July 22nd, 2017

7:12 PM

Beirut, Lebanon

Mar Mitr Station

A couple of hours after the debriefing, the team and I sit around in the refugee hall at the Mar Mitr Resistance base. Everyone in the hall appeared saddened and traumatized about the war that had stroke their outside world. Resistance troops and civilians alike. Having lost families and friends to this war secretly constructed by the so-called Ares himself. I could see refugees lying down on their bunks, comforting loved ones, cuddling children, holding crying babies, and staring at memorial walls.

Coming back to the middle-east recollected even more dreary memories of my tours in Afghan and Iraq. While those wars may have been atrocities at best, this war is an abomination at worst. The rest of Valor Team feels for everyone in the hall beside me.

"Is anyone else expecting a bloody bedtime story too?" Newblood wondered.

"A little gratuitous for someone isn't a woman nor a child," said Heard. "Don't you think, Andy?"

"I agree with both of you," said Mason. "Except I don't mean it sarcastically. Some of these Resistance men aren't even soldiers to begin. They're volunteers. Fighters who aren't trained enough to enter a battleground. Leaving behind family and friends without a goodbye."

"You want my advice, damas y caballeros?" Logos thought. "Don't say adios to old amigos and familia before going to war because you'll miss them. Say adios because you may never see them again."

"How inspiring, Logos," said Newblood. "Could've said so better ourselves."

"Like we don't have family and friends back home we had to say goodbye to for the same reasons," said Flint. "My Mom, Dad, and little brother are back in Portland being evacuated for relocation since the city is monitored by Chrysalis themselves. There's also my college buddy Drew who I was on the football team with too. He has a little bro named Mikey and they both live with their only dad who barely made it out jobless. I've been told they're being relocated too."

"I have wife, daughter, and son living in Beaver Creek," said Mason. "My kids write to me every day hoping to see their father again. Dorian writes to me every day hoping to see her husband again. I do my best every day to write back to them. I've gotten used to it since."

"I have family in Puerto Lobos," said Logos. "A little town in Mexico was born in. Wife, two hijas and a hijo. I'm the only U.S. citizen in the family after joining the corps. My parents and parents-in-law live their too. Quite frankly, the kids want their Papi to come home. As well as my girl waiting for her marido to come home."

"I have my nephew boarded on the Oregon," said Newblood. "Alongside his American college lads and his American love. My sister and brother-in-law are living in Humboldt County. Which is in Cali. The rest of my family is back in London. Logos and I have been what he'd call legal inmigrars since joining the corps."

"Never had a family of my own," said Heard. "Have a sister, one niece, and two nephews. Nothing more. Where they live is what I'd like to keep confidential. I know Cagey had a family once until the shitstorm in Arcadia Bay. My lips are sealed if I shouldn't bring the touchy subject any further, Captain. But we do talk about it during our dates."

"And we talk about it during our dates only, Cheryl," said Cage. "I used to think an eighteen-year-old girl named after the Catcher in the Rye was responsible. Until I learned otherwise. I'm not gonna even say their names, but I'm glad I got to make them pay when I did. Frankly, our HOW girl's family needs no introduction."

"My mom is still in Washington," said Cayce. "She's been worried sick about me since this war began. I've been writing emails to her since the war started just to make sure she isn't. It must go without saying, but David has his wife Joyce on the Oregon. Didn't you say Chloe was coming aboard too?"

"She was supposed to go to her aunt and uncle's," I said. "Until she insisted to come aboard the Oregon. I couldn't stop her."

"It's easy for everyone on the team to talk about family far away from here," said Kristine. "Just imagine if our families were here in this precarious situation all these refugees are in now. Different story, wouldn't it be? It makes me want to cry seeing these people forced to live in such a maniacal and anarchic world like this one."

"Don't beat your own ass over it, Kristine," said Cayce. "It's okay to feel sorry for these people, but it's not on you if we can't save them. You may be medic, but you're just one medic who can only help a single patient in distress at a time."

"Now you want to act all supportive on me. Should've thought about that before ratting me out to Penske. I gotta get some fresh air. Excuse me if I want to be alone for a while."

"Oh, no you don't," said Cage. Holding Kristine's arm. "Not with that mark-"

"Don't touch me, Captain!" Kristine snapped. Shaking off Cage from his grasp.

"I'll – I'll go with her, Captain," said Cayce. "Just to keep an eye on her."

"Of course, you will," snarked Kristine.

Cage allowed Cayce to come with Kristine for fresh air as the two left us to step outdoors. It would be logical for someone like Kristine to have an escort given the position she's in. I used to believe all Prescotts were political rats until Kristine. Though she may have betrayed us with that mark on her arm, I still believe she has a chance of staying loyal to us. Only the truth could set her free.

"Kristine's been super emotional since we got here," said Newblood. "Not because of her penalty for that HOW mark, but everything she's been seeing in this shithole of a city."

"Its war, Newblood," said Flint. "Who doesn't get emotional? Every city that falls to a warzone turns into a shithole."

"If you were a judge, Capitan," said Logos. "Would you sentence Kristine for life in prison?"

"If I were a judge, Logos," said Cage. "I'd give her the death penalty."

"Kristine comes from a family with a lot of lawyers up to their sleeve," said Heard. "She could really use one right about now. Not to mention no lawyer who've served the Prescotts have ever lost a case as such."

"No lawyer can help her in a court-martial in her case. Any HOW member is an enemy of the state to Chrysalis which no defense attorney can win against."

"If a girl like Max Caulfield could win a case in war crimes," said Flint. "I bet Kristine has a chance of winning too. Didn't Penske say that there wasn't any sufficient proof of her snitching against Chrysalis so far?"

"Except a gal like Caulfield herself had Derrick Crosby at her defense," said Newblood. "And he ended up becoming a war crook himself."

"Let's save all our judgments until Kristine's court-martial is in session," said Mason. "Assuming any of us make it out of this war alive, some of us may have to testify for her defense should she be proven innocent. Should she plead not guilty as well."

"I used to think people like my own step-daughter would be in a position Kristine is in now," I said. "Several times she was, but not as severe as jail time. I also once believe someone like Max would wound up like Chloe. Yet I was wrong about both of them. Growing up is getting used to the world. It's easier for them."

"This isn't the world," said Heard. "This isn't it."

"It might be," said Flint. "It might."

"That's giving up."

"It's the reality."

"Until we see otherwise," I interject. "This is what we have to live with."

This discussion brought me back to my youth living with my abusive father. The man who once fought in Vietnam, hit me if I so much as looked at him or spoke to him wrong, and did things so much worse to survive in Nam. A story he told me that was morbid as it comes.

"When I was kid," I begin. "I asked my dad if he killed any Vietnamese in the war. He wouldn't answer. Said that was grown stuff. So…so I asked if the Vietnamese tried to kill him. But he got really quiet. Said he was dead the minute he stepped into enemy territory. He told himself 'Rest in peace. Now get up and go to war.' Then after a few years pretending he was dead, he made it out alive."

There was one part of the story that related to Kristine's. Only more extreme.

"But he told me another thing," I continued. "He said that one day, one of his fellow troops turned against him and rest of his platoon. Because he believed the US government were the bad guys bringing the war to the Viet Cong. Even killed a friendly and began a mutiny in that disagreement. So, then my dad had to be the judge and kill the traitor in self-defense. There was a court-martial. Only his charges were dropped since he put down the traitor and then he left the military. That's how he was still alive."

Everyone was silenced about my dad's story. It was now my turn to decide how far I would go to bring justice to a traitor if Kristine really is one.

"That's the trick of it, I think," I said. "We do what we need to do and then we get to live. No matter what becomes of Kristine, I know we'll be okay. Because this is how we survive. I spent my whole youth as my dad's punching bag learning it all the hard way. Chloe reminded me too much of what I used to be growing and I could never be the father she used to have before an automobile crash. I even slapped her a couple of times just make sure she grew up the way I wanted her to. And she did. We tell ourselves…the enemy of my enemy…is my friend."

* * *

Cayce

July 22nd, 2017

7:19 PM

Beirut, Lebanon

Mar Mitr Station

I walk behind Kristine distantly to where she stops at a balcony on the upper floor. Leaning forward on the railing and glancing over the ruins of the war-torn Beirut. It makes me believe she's only feeling guilty or sorry for herself by taking one last look at what the war has done to this city before she's either killed in action or survives long enough for her court-martial. Or maybe she's pissed at selling her out to Penske. She has no one to blame but herself.

I step outdoors on the balcony where Kristine mopes. I'm more afraid of even approaching her any close. If I so much even lay a finger on her, she'll spank me in the face for what I've done. Either she deserves a talk or rather she doesn't. I do my best at an apology for what it was worth.

"So, whatcha doing back here?" I ask her.

"Just wanted fresh air, Cayce," answered Kristine. "Nothing more."

"I find that to be an unlikely story."

"I can understand why. Believe what you want to. I couldn't care less."

"Listen, Kristine. I know you hate me for blowing your secret, but you've done this to yourself."

"Nathan did it to himself. Dad did it to himself. Little do people know is that they didn't choose for themselves. Someone else chose after them. Like you'd give a fuck who."

I sigh and shake my head. What am I kidding? I did this to her. Like I can make up for it.

"You know, if I hadn't told Penske," I said. "If the team ever found out however they could and we didn't say anything, the consequences could've been worse than they are now."

"Why are you here, Cayce?" Kristine asked. "To pretend to feel sorry for me so I don't feel sorry for myself?"

"To look out for you for starters. Another reason is to know more about why you still have that mark on your arm even after abandoning this Whales society of yours. Last reason being, you don't have to like this one, but I was beginning to like you. Like you as more than my Lieutenant. More than my medic."

"Funny, I was beginning to feel the same for you until you blew it. If you think I'm gonna stand here and give you a history lesson about my family's fucked up philosophy, you can forget it. Alright?"

"No, it's not alright. If you want to reestablish your trust for the team and for me, I think I deserve to know more. I know trust may not matter to you, but it does matter to me. If you can tell it to David, you can tell it to me too."

Kristine sighed with grief. Having no other choice, she took my point for granted.

"I was born in Fort Lauderdale," she began. "Same place my brother was born. I grew up there until I became Nathan's big sister and moved to Arcadia Bay with the rest of my family. We were a proud family doing good for the town until one day, terrorists came to our family and threatened to harm us if we didn't do what they asked. Since then, the family had become corrupt as it was. My dad was pulling people out of their jobs, my mom was being shut out all the time, Nathan had become a punching bag to my father and a pawn in Mark Jefferson's sickness, and I was sent away to Peace Corps in Brazil when I was eighteen. The same age I was coronated into the Herd of Whales as every Prescott has been for generations. Then the tornado storm hit and you know the story about that."

"What would terrorist gain in making your family do the crazy shit they've done?" I wondered. "What do they have to do with HOW?"

"The terrorists were Neo-Chrysalis. The same people who corrupted Derrick Crosby. The same reasons they corrupted him were the same reasons for my dad. Now my Aunt Joanna is in league with ConDef for her petty beliefs as one of HOW's important leaders. But I believe the real head of the snake is one person who I never met but knew of. His name…is Ares."

Kristine paused. I raise my eyebrows in awe. She did not just say that name.

"You…you knew Ares?" I wondered. "You knew him?"

"Knew 'of' him," corrected Kristine. "Either way, I believe he's been the puppeteer under everyone's strings for decades even centuries for as long as my lineage has lasted in this world. When I was a girl, my aunt would visit us in our home in Arcadia and tell Nathan and I crazy stories about the god of war named Ares. How David explained Ares back in debriefing is pretty much how Aunt Joan would back then. I didn't believe the stories at first. Just figured they were stories being told just for fun. But the more Joan would speak of him, the more I knew he existed somehow. And now since this war began, my greatest nightmare may have come true."

"After today, that's an understatement."

"Everything I've ever hated about my family comes from either terrorist like Neo-Chrys and ConDef, psychopaths like Mark Jefferson and Derrick Crosby, or fables like Ares. Because of that, my dad raised Nathan terribly, my aunt is in bed with Alkaline, my family's foundation is defunct, and the only family I have left to care about is my mom running the corporate division of Chrysalis in Portland. She and I joined Chrysalis in hopes of redeeming our family's title. If anyone ever found out she was once with the herd too; just like Nathan, Dad, and Joanna, she could lose her job, I could get convicted in my court-martial, and…and-"

Kristine began to whelp and break down with a tear running down her eye. I hold her shoulder and make her look at my face.

"Hey, hey," I said. "Take a breath, alright? Look at me. None of what your family has done is on you. There was nothing you could've done to change that."

The young Prescott woman turns to me slowly with a sorrowful face. I could see a tear streaming down her cheek. I was beginning to think she'd slap me across the face when touching her, but I guess she really needed the comfort since she did otherwise.

"And just so you know," I continue. "I'm sorry about the gun in your face."

"Nathan would still be alive if I had been there for him," said Kristine. "I would kill Jefferson, Crosby, even my own father if I could just to prevent the damage that's already been done. If I ever see Joanna again in the middle of this war, I want to kill her myself!"

"Kris, are you hearing yourself? You'd kill someone in your family just to satisfy what's right for it?!"

"She's not my family! She burned that bridge long ago. Just like Dad. I'd do anything to bring Nathan back."

"Killing your aunt won't bring Nathan back. If you want justice for your family, then let Chrysalis be your asylum. I've had a fucked-up family life too, you know. I watched my dad die in an explosion after crashing a harrier. I shot and killed my own step-dad to save my mom from a stabbing when I was fourteen-years-old. But being in Chrysalis is what kept my life going and made me stronger. Joining the corps can make you strong too. And I know Nathan and my dad would put a smile on their faces if they could see us now."

I glance down at Kristine's beautiful face and beautiful brown hair and eyes. She glances at my looks too. As if she forgives me already for letting her down. I knew the look when I saw it on her face. Not the first time I've seen it from a young lady and the last young lady I've seen it from, she was younger than Kris. I know the young Prescott soldier herself has feelings for me as I do for her. And for that, now was the time to decide if our relationship should go that far or not.

**X/SQUARE/LM – KISS KRISTINE**

**B/CIRCLE/RM – DON'T KISS KRISTINE**

My final decision was to let each other have it. We hold our hands, clutch our fingers together, shut our eyes, and press our lips onto one another's. Kissing for at least five seconds to confirm our feelings. When we stop kissing, Kristine makes me promise one thing to keep our ship from sailing.

"If you care about me," she said. "Promise me that'll defend me in my testimony if we both survive this war."

"We'll all be prepared to defend you should any of us make it through this," I reply. "Including me. I promise."

**Note: So, I'm done with Junior and I'm free to write more when I can. Played episode 3 of Life Is Strange 2 and was a big improvement over episode 2 which was a let down for me. After 3 episodes of LIS2, it makes me regret not writing a third arc for Eternity War that could feature Sean and Daniel. Which would culminate Life Is Strange, Before the Storm, After the Storm, The Lost Daughter, and Life Is Strange 2 altogether. But what's done is done and this story will do fine without them. Since I had no ideas of writing those characters into the story, to begin with, and Life Is Strange isn't even done yet. However, I'm still acknowledging the universe Dontnod expanded upon with Life Is Strange 2.**

**You should all note, that I've actually referenced LIS2 material into this story when Valor Team discusses they're families. I also want to confirm that in this story, Flint Wheeler is actually friends with the Norths from Before the Storm if you can recall correctly reading this chapter. And you've guessed it, folks! I'm shipping Cayce and Kristine all the way!**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	13. Hunting Grounds

Chapter 13 Hunting Grounds

Max

July 22nd, 2017

12:35 PM

Meridian Prime

Mediterranean Coast

I progress into the island through a waterfall and inside a cave. It seemed to be the only way off the coastal area of the island and that's where I went. In the cave, I see another skeleton impaled with a sword leaning against the cavern walls with words written in blood: **NO QUARTER FOR BETRAYERS**. Which wasn't reassuring at all.

There was more water running down into the caves and I was gonna have to do some more climbing. Even slip and sliding down a rockslide with water streaming down too. I slide down the rockslide and jump onto a ledge to climb up the cliffs with the little waterfalls. Just when I was beginning to dry up from the rain. I can feel my pants and shirt getting soaked again while sliding down and climbing up.

Now I had to walk along a damp part of the caves through shallow water as soon as I got up the falls. As I hated getting my pants wetter walking across the shallow water, I hated the cold water even more. If this is what it took to be an adventurer like Alex, I've had plenty more than I've bargained for on this trip to the Ark of Genesis already. Next thing I know, I'll be encountering giant spiders or ferocious anacondas. Just like Alex and I used to imagine doing in our youth.

Then finally, daylight became my exit out of the caverns after walking into the dampness. When exiting the caves, my legs returned to dry air and green ground and I spot something dangling on a rope over a huge cliffside next to me. More human remains playing dead before me. It looked as if the deceased being slipped off his footing and killed himself trying to climb. Thought that would be me my first-time rope climbing eleven years ago. It's not as if the dead man himself has seen someone come by here. Someone tall, black hair, stupid ideas about adventure.

It looked like whatever the dead guy was using to climb, it was stuck to the cliff wall where the rope was hanging the corpse from. I climb up the cliff by hand to reach farther up. When I was close enough to reach, the object stuck on the rock wall was a climbing pick. The dead guy who once used it was wearing that didn't look suitable for climbing. He may have had the right, but not the right footwear. I required myself both with the pick I pulled out of the rock and the boots I was wearing that were more than suitable. The hanging skeletal remains collapsed to the bottom ground once I pulled the pick out. I'd be needing it more than him now.

I stab the wall with the pick I had in my hand for me to climb up the cliffside easier and it still worked after being unused for a century or two. I had to jump up a little in or for the pick to stab on fragile enough rock to climb up with it. Definitely what Lara Croft would do.

Once I'm up to the cliff and onto higher ground, I hear gunshot fired at a distance. I'm startled at first and I hide behind something. I then spot a ConDef trooper firing his rifle downward from his post. Spraying bullets into the trees of the lower ground as if he caught his eyes on something. Hopefully, it wasn't Alex. The soldier was not alone.

"Oi, Oi!" Another soldier shouted from behind him. "You got a target?"

"Saw something, maybe," said the soldier who fired. "Movement along the tree line."

"Well, that's the jungle over there, hey. It's all moving. I don't see anything."

"Dammit. Alright, everyone, false alarm! But keep an eye out! Let's go."

There were definitely more ConDef about. Here's hoping they haven't gotten to Alex yet.

I hid under some tall grass and bushes and there were dozens more ConDef on patrol. Infantry, snipers, grenadiers, the patrol squads had it all. Everyone was posted on high grounds and low grounds. Snipers posted on the high grounds and infantry and grenadiers posted on the lower grounds. It was going to be impossible to stealthily take on this many armed ConDef around me. Then I remembered the Time Shard I was wearing around my neck. Maybe I could use it to my greater advantage. Knowing how great of an ally it became floating in the middle of that storm, it was time to utilize it for the same catharsis again.

I could rewind time whenever a soldier spots me or maybe I could freeze time with the shard so no soldier will ever have to spot me at all. I once froze time saving my best friend from a death above dozens of students at Blackwell just watching and I had to hold my hand up the entire time while walking my ass up five stories to the roof of the dorms. Perhaps the Time Shard can ensure I never go through that catastrophe again. I activate the shard as it glows on my chest and suddenly, I can feel the emptiness around me.

Soldiers were now frozen like diorama models, the air was void of the atmosphere, and I could feel no pain whatsoever with the Time Shard frozen around me. Only the essence of the shard massaging my inner strength and thriving my power as it was enhanced by the shard. Thank you, Chronos.

As the shard had frozen time for me and discontinued the continuum temporarily, I was able to move past in front of ConDef guards like moving past sculptures. Never had to lay one finger on the enemy troops just to escape my predators on the hunting grounds. Their prey was no match for them whatsoever. The shard itself was giving me the power of a god and gods don't bleed with their power. Not like me long before I had this shard around my neck.

There were tons more ConDef to walk past who were all stuttered in time. I had to be getting closer away from the squads. Which I was.

Once I felt the cost was clear and I was completely through the pack of soldiers, I switch off the shard and time resumed continuum again. I could feel the air again as well as the noise of birds and other critters roaming the island. I catch my breath from the energy I had consumed from the shard and continued into the island freely. If only I could find Alex right about now since I know she's alive. I had to be closer to where she flicked her light.

I come across more skeletal remains on the way finding Alex in the middle of this lush jungle island. One carrying a big brown bag with an old letter inside. It was from another one of EJ's crew. Meaning the deceased being was a member of his. Reading the letter myself was even more disturbing than staring at the remains.

The letter spoke of how EJ treated his crew on his expedition to the ark which was far from fair. How he worked his crew to exhaustion, made them broken promises of glory turned illness and starvation, and even left a man tied to a mast to starve to death. Even doing away with his own navigator for how ill he spoke of him. Then shooting his friend in the back to keep him from escape. Hella dark. Seems like EJ's crew had about as much luck as me with this ark. Perhaps he did deserve getting run over on a motorbike after all. Was there any Prescott in the lineage as decent as Caroline and Kristine and not vile and cruel like Sean and Nathan?

After reading the disturbing letter, I climb up another cliff without using my pick. Except for this time, this cliff wasn't as sturdy as the others. The cliff wall was coming apart the higher I climbed. Which wasn't even a cliff at all. It was a rock pile that was about to fall apart like Mega Blocks. I climb up to the top as quickly as I could and barely make it as I leap across a falling rock a latch my hands to a ledge.

I vault over the ledge and someone sneaks up on me armed with a pistol. I immediately unholster my pistol and aim it at none other than Alex Caulfield herself aiming her pistol at. The two of gasp and take a sigh of relief. Finding each other at last.

"I nearly shot your head off," said Alex.

I holster my gun and take a seat on a rock. Knowing Alex was alive and taking more breaths of herself.

"Alex…you're okay," I said.

"Yeah, nothing I can't walk away from," she said. Patting me on the back. "It's good to see you're alive, little cousin. C'mon, we got an ark to find."

"Hold on, man. I mean – What are we doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean our supplies are at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea."

"Okay, so we go and steal some from Alkaline's arm."

"Yeah, and there's that. We're going up against an army! I just used the Time Shard to freeze frame two dozen ConDef men for stealth tactics."

"Well, that's good then. We've been holding our own so far and that shard can be the cheat sheet."

"While being marooned in the middle of nowhere."

"We were trying to get here. Chronos told us to get here, remember?"

"When we had an escape plan. I almost regret trusting Chronos with this shard knowing he could do anything with it except when I'm in dire need."

"You accepted his deal and it was your gut you went with. Not mine."

I sighed.

"Okay," I said. "Just hear me out. Crazy suggestion. Let's go down there and at least secure one of Joanna's boats."

"The boats can wait," replied Alex. "You know what we're doing here? We're saving the lives of billions that could be vacuumed out of existence by the snap of Ares's finger. Okay? And we're gonna do that by stepping into that jungle and finding the Ark of Genesis."

"Have you even seen any signs of a massive knight colony? Cause I sure the hell haven't."

"You're a little late to start developing doubts, don'tcha think?"

"Look, can we at least acknowledge the chance that maybe Arthur's home for the Round Table is all a fable and Ezra's idea for a secret Herd of Whale utopia didn't pan out? And maybe we've been feeding ourselves lies and delusions to get us swept up in this fantasy when instead, we should be looking for a real way to win this war."

"The storm in Arcadia Bay was a delusion. Triple 4 in Portland was a delusion. Until you were later disillusioned the days they became non-fantasies. After everything the sisters and Chronos have told us, you'd really go out on a limb and say it was all a lie?"

"More or less so."

"How about this. I'm gonna scour this island inch by inch if I have to and so will you until we find that ark, Traveler. Chronos trusted you with that shard. You owe it to him big time to return the trust to him. Now, if you're confused about what you're doing here, then you can go home, Max."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. I can go home?! Are you kidding me?! Do you have any idea what I put on the line to get us here?!"

"How bout what I put on the line?! How bout what the rest of us had to put on the line?! Okay?! The last five years of my life-"

"Oh, c'mon. This has nothing to do with that!"

"It is everything to do with that!"

"Are you forgetting about the big bad of this story and possibly the final boss of this game? Last time I confronted Ares, I was hit in the face like a WWE wrestler and almost killed myself getting kicked off the fucking edge! Joan set a roof on fire and Fernando bust a fucking limb!"

"Better the reason to ensure none of that was all for fucking nothing! Not to mention your girlfriend you just broke up with because of this."

I was about to make an offending remark about Alex's rebuke for Chloe until yet another clue caught my eyesight behind Alex. My cousin took noticed my glance.

"What?" She wondered.

I step forward and walk past Alex to investigate my sighting. There seemed to be something hidden behind some branching sticking out of the wall. The leaves hiding what I've spotted. I shake off the branches and leaves and find an imperative clue needed for the journey since it arrived on the island. If my uncanny valley didn't fail me, it was a sigil from the Herd of Whales.

"Holy wowser," I said.

Ezra's sigil as we knew for a matter of fact. This was the first sign the colony of Meridian Prime was closer than we thought. May even confirm it's no fantasy either.

"You still wanna go home?" Alex asked.

"Let's just see what else we can find," I replied.


	14. Paradise Lost

Chapter 14 Paradise Lost

Alex

July 22nd, 2017

12:48 PM

Meridian Prime

Meridian Rainforest

After clue 101, Max follows me into the rainforest of Meridian Prime to find the HOW colony Ezra built in honor of Arthur's legacy. I find some ruins between the trees and buried in the green grass a little. I make sure Max know where to go.

"Max, this way," I said.

Not a few seconds too soon and we're already staring at ruins. To what appears to have belonged to an infrastructure at least a century or two old. Ezra did make some renovations when he founded the colony centuries after Arthur.

"I'll be damned," said Max.

"Off to a good start," I said.

"Yeah, let's just hope the rest of it isn't buried under centuries of dirt and rock."

"Glass half full, if you please."

There's an old house covered in green grass and moss growing out of where Max finds a hole above the roof to climb up to and enter from there. The two of us drop in from the hole and now had to find a way through.

"No one's home," said Max.

"This place has seen better, huh?" I wondered.

"Yeah, the roof could use some work. Let's just hope it doesn't come down on our heads."

I follow Max through a crawlspace and we prone under a box stuck between the floorboards above us. The next obstacle was a tiny space boarded up by a log of wood stuck under some stairs. Max attempted to lift it out of the way only to no avail. Until I find a scenic route.

"Agh…yeah, that's not happening," said Max.

"Hey, Max," I said. "Think there's a way through here. This way, Max."

Max follows me to an opening where we can walk above the floorboards a little and into another crawlspace under the stairs. It was getting dusty the more crawling we did as I was coughing it out, but a fine workout for my health.

"All this crawling's a good workout for my quads," I said. "Look at this place. There's no straw hut."

"Yup," said Max. "Some honest-to-God masonry in here."

"Yeah, but where'd those masons come from? Your average ship might have some good carpenters among them…and coopers…but…not masons. Phew, what I wouldn't give for a camera."

"I have a camera. I've been carrying it the entire trip."

"Shut your mouth. You serious?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's the only thing that's survived by the rest of our stuff that was once on the boat. I'm hella glad the shard didn't go down either."

"What about the codex?"

"The codex is secure as well."

"Oh, thanks."

After climbing out of the rabbit hole, we get some fresh into a more open room in the ruined house and have some time to breathe away from a dusty place. I finally get to stretch out my limbs after a bijou exercise.

"Ahh, feels good to stretch out again," I said.

"Yeah, you said it," said Max. "Hey, there's a way out."

"Ah…it's too high. Even for a boost. Let's find something to stand on."

Max found a crate in the room we could use and we were in business. The two of us climb up the crate and over the opening out of the house. When I climbed over first, I was the first to witness something as eye-popping and jaw-dropping that would subvert Max's doubts she had earlier.

"Max…you're going to want to see this," I said.

Max

July 22nd, 2017

12:57 PM

Meridian Prime, Meridian Prime

Meridian Prime Colonial Territory

After climbing up the space after Alex and after all the denial I went through, we were here at last. The two of us laying eyes on the past sight of Ezra's great HOW colony of Meridian Prime. Spotting what was left of deteriorated buildings that looked to be used for commercial use and even bigger buildings the size of the White House or the Pentagon. We were now awakening ourselves into a paradise lost in Meridian Prime.

"Whoa," I said.

We take a closer look at the colonized town the HOW once lived in. Leaves, tree, bushes, and moss covering the destructed buildings as if the place was once part of a warzone. Which it probably was given World War I had entered here.

"What do you see?" Alex asked.

"No houses," I answered. "Wide street. Clearly a commercial district of some kind."

"Yes, thank you for that, Max. C'mon. What do you see?"

"You just want to hear me say it, don't you?"

"Really want to hear you say it."

"All right. Meridian Prime."

Alex burst out chuckling.

"Meridian Prime!" Alex rejoiced. "The long-lost legendary HOW utopia. Discovered after one-hundred years by one Alexis Caulfield."

"And?" I thought.

"And, and her younger, slightly less charming cousin who happened to be tagging along for the ride Maxine Caulfield. You know, I always knew you'd make something out of yourself one day."

"Yeah, just so you know, this isn't my first infamous achievement ever in my lifetime."

"Shhh, shh. Just…enjoy the moment."

I enjoy the moment as she asks to and gaze upon the long-lost legendary HOW colony of Meridian Prime. For about five seconds.

"So where do you want to start?" Alex asked.

"How about that building right over there?" I pointed.

"Oh, you mean the one with the massive guard tower?"

"Yeah, I say we go see what it was guarding."

"Works for me."

Alex dropped down from the platform we stood on to walk further into the colonial ruins. I tag along with her to get to the huge guard tower building miles from the commercial district. Entering this colony was like entering Disneyland or a Universal Resort for Alex.

"This is – I mean – I'm speechless," said Alex. "Holy goddamn shit, Max!"

"That's your idea of speechless?" I asked.

"God, how long do you think it took to build this place?"

"Years. Decades even. Even more years and decades to renovate after Arthur. How the hell did they keep it a secret all the time?"

"It's just…this place…even without the ark, this is quite the find."

"If only Ares saw it that way."

"You just can't let us enjoy this, can you?"

"I'm enjoying it, but we have a goal here, remember?"

"Trust me. I know about the goal."

"That's all I'm saying."

"Okay then."

Alex and I walk over to a room in the ruined commercial district to what appeared to be a place for blacksmithing. Tools made for forging iron were lying around and a furnace was in place too.

"Hey Alex, check it out," I said. "Blacksmith forge."

I pick up a little sword that was being forged in the room sitting around on a bench for blacksmithing. A cutlass was the name for it. Pretty much the sword Chloe and me used to play around with during our pirate childhood days. Only that they were made of non-lethal plastic and not real steal. I put the cutlass down and Alex jumps me from behind with a cutlass in her hand as well.

"Avast, you dirty dog -!"

Then Alex's blade had broken down and dropped to our feet. Real cute, Alex. I chuckled.

"Nice," I said. "You're just like, Chloe. Only nine years younger."

"I was doing the-"

"Oh, yeah, no, I know."

"That was doing a thing."

"Right. Just remember who used to play pirates. You're a horrible pirate."

"You suppose they traded with other colonies?"

"If they did, they didn't do it on this island. Otherwise, word would've gotten out about this place."

"Good point. Except word must've gotten out somehow since the Germans invaded this island."

"Every war has its traitors."

Alex and I explore other places in the district such as the stables. Where we see bones that aren't the remains of a human. But rather of a horse.

"Huh…horse bones," I observed.

"They're still tied up," said Alex. "Like they were abandoned. But why?"

"Don't know. Maybe people left in a hurry."

"Or they were taken away?"

"Something isn't kosher here."

"So, what do you think happened here, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know, all good things must come to an end, right? I mean joke about cursed Eternity Shards, but after hearing all the sisters' and Chronos's stories…"

"Well, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one…usually."

We leave the stable and find a concrete sign in the middle of the street. One labeled: **Article Five**.

"Hey, Alex, check this out," I said. "It's like a HOW code of conduct."

The code of conduct read:

**HE WHO DESERTS MERIDIAN PRIME IN TIME OF BATTLE SHALL BE PUNISHED BY DEATH.**

Sounds pretty extreme for a war penalty from WWI. No court martials back then?

"Hmmm…thought the whole point of this place was not having rules?" Alex thought.

"Even HOWs had their own rules," I said.

"Can you imagine this place back in its heyday? The shops open, crusty old HOWs hanging around…"

I walk upstairs to another house in the neighborhood and there was a table where the people would sit down for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Looks like families must've settled here too.

"Hey, look at this," I said. "There were families here."

"Yeah," said Alex. "So…where the hell did everyone go? I mean, were they all raptured or something?"

"Whatever the story is here, a war obviously broke out here and there were casualties. Including civilians."

We leave the house and see a statue of Ezra Prescott built outdoors on the streets. Covered in green, but still intact.

"Sir Ezra Prescott," I said. "Was wondering when you'd turn up."

I walk closer to the statue and there is a symbol painted on the plaque. A symbol of a helmet with an X marked below.

"What's this symbol?" I wondered.

"I saw a few of them when I was coming to find you," said Alex.

"So, who's marking these places? Is that another sigil?"

"No, not that I know of."

"Maybe invaders? I mean, I'm sure these guys had plenty of enemies out here. The Germans considered."

"Pshh…that's a good point. Germans who must've been under Ares's cause just like the Saxons. Just like ConDef. The helmet on the symbol might represent him."

Alex walked over to someplace where her eye caught an object of interest. A board with holes made for hands and a head to be mounted over. A guillotine with the blade missing. Had to be made for execution purposes. For so-called deserters perhaps or for people committing whatever acts of treason.

"Hey, Max, check it out," said Alex.

My cousin places her hands and head above the holes and acts out her execution. Kinda dangerous if there was a blade above her.

"Ah…I would totally get a picture of myself in this thing," said Alex. "If we had a camera that is."

"I can arrange that," I said.

I get out my smartphone and snap a picture of Alex. I'll post it on Facebook or Instagram later.

"Oh, I forgot," said Alex as I took her picture. "We do have a camera. On our phones."

"This is amazing and all," I said. "But how do you suppose we get to that big building with the tower?"

Before we went anywhere else such as the big building with the tower, we explored one last area. A little house that looked like where everyone got their water supply. A water foundry from 1917. We entered the place through another hole blown in.

"Looks like we found the local watering hole," said Alex.

The two of us found some old rusty one-hundred-year-old chairs between a barrel with two mugs sitting on top. We decide to sit back and relax for a nice view of the colony outdoors.

"Not a bad view," said Alex as we sat down.

I grab a mug and it was filled with dust and sand. We decide to make toast without any liquid.

"Hey, cheers," I said holding my mug.

"Yeah, cheers," said Alex.

We cling our mugs and smile. Nice place to live in a hundred years then. Nice place to camp if our gear didn't go down with our boat.

"What were they doing here?" I wondered.

"Who? The colonist?" Alex replied.

"Yeah. I mean you throw in your lot with these infamous adventurers and…then what?"

"You know…take a load off."

"Hmmm."

"Find some refuge. Enjoy a little grog. Far worse fates."

"Ah, I guess. Except you have to see Ezra's statue every day."

Alex laughed.

"Hey," I continue. "You, ah…you ever wonder like with…different choices…how we might've ended up?"

"You mean like taking your magic show on the road?" Alex thought.

I was beginning to recall myself getting sawed to death on that stage with Fredrick the Eccentric from five years ago. About a week before Alex's apparent death. I chuckled so hard know exactly what she meant.

"You did not just bring that up," I giggled.

"Hashtag Max Sawfield," said Alex. "Just as Fernando posted."

"The whole school at Cleveland was barbequing me for days because of that. All over fucking social media."

"Like you had a better time at Blackwell."

"What? You know what? You're just jealous. You always were."

"All right."

"No, but I mean…what would our lives have been like if we hadn't started by chasing these…people you have been dead for a century? You think it would resemble more of a…normal life?"

"Hmm, normal. You've got everybody gathered around the table for Thanksgiving. Exchanging all the baby photos. Something like that? No. No thank you. Not for me. I like the hand we've been dealt."

"Yeah, I've heard that before."

"C'mon, we're…we're fortunate women."

"This is fortunate?"

"Yeah, I mean of course I've been playing dead for the last five years so it's all relative I suppose."

"All right, I'll give you that. This is much better than playing dead."

We've spent enough time sitting down and socializing already. I wanted to move to that building but by the time we'd get there, it'd be dark. So, I had other plans.

"Well, my mug's run dry," I said putting my mug down.

"Yeah, I was about to say," said Alex putting her mug down. "Service here is lousy. So, ready to get to that building?"

"Actually, I had better plans."

"That is?"

"By the time we get there, whether Ares and the crew get there before us or not, it'll be sundown and nighttime isn't the best to play a cat and mouse game. What if we camped here tonight?"


	15. Arrival On the Oregon

Chapter 15 Arrival On the Oregon

Chloe

July 22nd, 2017

3:39 PM

Chrysalis First Fleet

Mediterranean Coast of Lebanon

We were now approaching a band of Chrysalis frigates on Bryan's plane. The closer Bryan flew the plane, the look we got at the fleet. The Chrysalis vessel we were searching for was a massive aircraft carrier called "The Oregon". The ship my mom, Rachel's parents, and Max's parents were boarded on with the refugees on deck. Bryan had a radio on the plane with an open channel for any frequencies to come so that we could make contact with the fleet if we could. Somehow, I didn't believe we'd be authorized on the hunk of junk.

"Which one's the Oregon again?" I asked.

"The big one," pointed Rachel. "The big aircraft carrier sailing in the middle of all those other ships in the fleet. Just as Dad described."

"I hope you realize what you're doing, Rachel," said Bryan. "There's no guarantee they're just going to let anyone land there."

The frequency came on Bryan's radio. Contacting this plane with our channel open.

_"Attention, aircraft. This is Captain Adam Harvest of the USCC Oregon. You are entering restricted airspace. Divert course immediately."_

"This is Bryan Caulfield. We have refugees on board and we're requesting permission to land."

_"All refugees must have landing authorization before coming aboard. Do not land here unless permitted by Chrysalis sanction."_

"Bryan, let me handle this," suggested Rachel. Picking up the radio phone. "This is Former Agent Rachel Amber. ID number 7221994. Authorization number 722435319626137. Permission to come aboard, Captain."

_"This is Admiral Gavin Penske. This is quite the surprise, Agent Amber. Coming out of retirement it seems?"_

"Former Agent Amber if you will, Admiral. We're on important matters of the war against ConDef. Let's just say those matters relate to an old pal of ours named Max Caulfield. Permission to land, Penske."

_"Permission granted. You're clear to dock, Ms. Amber."_

Bryan lands the plane on the flight deck. Skidding it across the runway and parking it near the harriers and choppers docked on the deck. Rachel, Bryan, Frank, Fernando, Kristen, and I hop out of the plane and help Fernando down with his busted leg. Once our feet are on deck, we see two men dressed in military jackets with Chrysalis soldiers as their escort approaching us to inspect us. Must be the Admiral and Captain on this ship we had just spoken to on the radio.

Somehow, I recall meeting an Admiral named Penske three years ago back before the battle in Portland. Watching him walk towards us with his Captain and escort brought me to that trip down memory lane. Rachel was the first person to greet and salute to the ranking officers themselves.

"Admiral Penske," said Rachel as she saluted. "It's an honor to be seeing each other again."

"It's an honor you haven't forgotten me, Former Operative Amber," said Penske.

"Rachel Amber, Captain Harvest," introduced the man next to Penske. "It's not every day an ex-agent like yourself comes back to us looking for work. State your business here."

"For starters, Captain," said Rachel. "I've brought some civilians who could use some shelter in your sanctuary. My ex-girlfriend Chloe, my boyfriend Frank, and our two friends Fernando and Kristen. Primarily speaking, we've come here to share some imperative intel that could win your war opposing ConDef. Related to one individual who should all ring a bell to you. Her name is Maxine Caulfield."

Penske and the Captain named Harvest turned their eyes to one other. Staring at themselves as if this were no coincidence bringing up Max.

"I'm Max's uncle by the way," said Bryan. "My daughter Alex is with her on a mission involving what we have to offer in this fight of yours."

"Captain, I'll take Ms. Amber, Ms. Price, and the uncle to CIC and see what they have for us," said Penske. "Take the rest to the sanctuary with an escort."

"Yes, sir," said Harvest.

"And your name, sir?" Penske asked Bryan.

"Bryan," he replied. "You can call me Bryan. I flew everyone to this ship when I did."

"Follow me."

* * *

Frank and the others are taken to the sanctuary with the captain's escort. Rachel, Bryan, and I follow the admiral to the CIC room on the bridge of this aircraft carrier. I wanted to check in with my mom first, but the first thing was first with what we had to show Penske. We follow him across the halls filled with people in flight suits walking by and doors with valves to get to CIC. Since Rachel's parents were on board, I'd imagine Frank my get they're attention. Then eventually Mom's. The attention may be followed by Max's parents too.

As soon as we're in the CIC room, Rachel had a map with her of some kind to show Penske the importance of our arrival. There were operators, helmsmen, and ensigns in the room occupied on computer screens. Penske, Bryan, Rachel, and I gathered around a table centered in the room to observe the map Rachel had with her. She unrolled it and laid it flat on the table to present our intel. The map had sketches of strange colored objects with the globe drawn as well. Where the objects were mapped out on specific places on the globe.

"What you're looking at, Admiral," said Rachel. "Is called the Eternal Cartographer. This cartographer maps out the elemental entities known as the Eternity Shards. These shards are what ConDef has been after the entire time since this war began. They're also what Max has made us come after for her potential role in this war as she says she does."

"First of all, would you care to define what an Eternity Shard is?" Penske asked.

"Admiral, are you familiar with the Big Bang Theory?" Bryan asked. "Where the universe hadn't always existed until it was expanded upon from early stages across a cosmic microwave background? Let's say these shards are the reason our universe is the way it is today. To answer your question, these six elemental diamonds huddling across the virgin universe control and bring balance to an essential aspect of existence. Blue for space, red for reality, purple for power, orange for soul, yellow for mind, and green for time."

"ConDef has been on the hunt for these shards for one specific individual," said Rachel. "And it's not Elias Alkaline. ConDef has been secretly led by another party while Alkaline is his general lieutenant in the matter. ConDef's real leader is Ares. His name is Ares. The Greek god of war."

"This may not be easy to believe, Admiral," said Bryan. "But it's the truth. Imagine living in a world where the population of this planet was reduced to fifty-percent. With lesser mouths to feed, lesser food and water gone to waste, lesser baby making, lesser everything the world essentializes on. That is what this Ares wants with these shards and if he collects all these shards, he will eliminate half of all human beings even other living and breathing creatures so that the other half spared will live in a society where resourcefulness is reduced to a bare minimum for those left alive. At the expense of everyone you love and care about gone within the snap of a finger. Which I don't mean metaphorically."

"And now," I said. "It would seem my girlfriend Max, who's been shielding me from this with a convincing cover story of hers for almost three weeks now, is the only certifiable human being on Earth who can stop this Ares asshole she proclaims to be."

Penske looked troubled by our words and what we had presented him. As if he knew something himself about this.

"Why is it by the look of your face that you seem to know what we're discussing about?" I wondered.

"God help us," he said. "All I can say is that you aren't the first people to report something as such. Commander Madsen reported in earlier stating a similar story. We had sent him and his team down to Beirut for a mission and your words were as good as his. Making your presence here less than a coincidence."

"Wait, Commander Madsen? As in David Madsen? Did he report that? When?"

"Madsen reported he had found an Eternity Shard utilized for a black ops project at a site near Beirut. Claimed he had spoken to an individual named Hades who had told him Max Caulfield was the catalyst of this war and a traveler so to speak. Hades was also the one to tell him about Ares as well. You must be Madsen's step-daughter since you know each other and if I recall correctly, you volunteered with your friends Max and Rachel during Triple 4. Even more fitting people like yourselves would arrive here."

"He found the Space Shard," said Rachel. "The one guarded by Hades."

"Could I ask where is Max Caulfield at this present time?" Penske asked.

"She's with my daughter Alex," answered Bryan. "Max's cousins. The two of them were on their way to collect the Time Shard off the coast of Italy and to travel to a remote island called Meridian Prime that's miles from where this fleet is called Meridian Prime. As much as I hated sending those two on their own, we had to separate to get this information out."

"Perhaps it's time I take these facts more seriously," said Penske. "Harvest and I need to inform the Pentagon about what we've learned about ConDef's primary goal as soon as we can. President Trump and every other world leader should hear about this."

"Rachel, is that you?" A male voice asked entering the room.

If wasn't James and Rose coming in to say hi to their daughter.

"Rachel, there you are!" Rose shouted.

"Mom! Dad!" Rachel shouted back.

My ex-lover hugged her mother and father as soon as they spotted each other.

"Thank goodness, you're safe!" Rose chirped.

"What are you doing here, Rachel?" James asked. "When we saw Frank on board, you had us worried."

"It's a long story," replied Rachel. "I did text you saying I'd come here, didn't I?"

"Chloe!" A female voice shouted to whom I knew belonged to.

"Mom!" I shouted back.

I ran to my mother and hugged her as tight as I could.

"Oh, Chloe," whaled Mom. "You're safe! Why'd you come here? Why didn't you stay at Aaron and Linda's like you were supposed to?"

"Mom, there's something I have to tell you," I said. "Max is in danger. And there's only one man I know who could help her."


	16. Join Me In Paradise

Chapter 16 Join Me In Paradise

Max  
July 22nd, 2017  
9:10 PM  
Meridian Prime, Meridian Prime  
Meridian Prime Colonial Territory

The two of us had built ourselves a tent out of the scrap we found in the ruined commercial district as well as fire to warm ourselves and cook our dinner. Props to Alex's hunting skills, she caught ourselves a wild rabbit out in the forest for us to eat. Then she skinned it and hooked the flesh over a stick to roast it. I've never eaten a skinned animal in my entire life and every bite I took was like eating the flesh of Indian food. Welcome to the survival of the fittest, Max.

Alex appeared to be enjoying her meal more than I was. Bryan really taught her well how to hunt and eat in circumstances like this.

"Mm, it's not the worst thing I've ever eaten," said Alex while chewing.

"Saying the only woman I know who's spent her life doing this," I said.

"You should enjoy your meal while it last, Max. It'll be all we have left to eat with our food supply drowned seventeen-thousand feet under."

"At least we didn't have to eat this eleven years ago with Chloe and our dads by the fire."

I chewed away at my appetite of rabbit meat I had to eat for the sake of my survival. Hopefully, we weren't going to have to keep satisfying our hunger like this for long. The sooner we get to that ark, the better.

"Hey, Max, I – um," said Alex. "About before, what I was saying back there, I never meant anything by it. Chloe just needs time to comprehend what we're up to."

"Like she needed time to comprehend her dad's death and me going away," I said. "You never saw the things Chloe went through after never seeing the man she loved more than anybody again."

"And neither did you. Not until you moved back five years after."

"Which is exactly my point, Alex. I moved out of town the day she was burying her father of all days. I hooked up with her again the day she was shot to death of all days. And how did I make it all up to her? I get my rewind powers to save, I unleash the carnage of half the population of Arcadia with a twister storm, and I give up my own life to save Portland and the rest of the world with it. While we were both fucking around in Seattle dreaming of our adventures here to Meridian Prime, Chloe chose the path of becoming a rebellious reprobate in response to her family tragedy and had a replacing confidante of her own named Rachel."

"Listen, Max. None of what Chloe went through is on you, okay?"

"I never said it was. But what we chose to do that night breaking into that museum is. When Chloe thought she lost Rachel, it immediately brought me back to when I thought I lost you. I can still smell the stench of Rachel's body double buried in the dump. I can also still see the sight of you taking three bullets to the gut and watching you get washed away by that current. All because of me."

"If you're actually trying to find an excuse to feel bad for yourself by bringing up touchy subjects on purpose, it won't help. What we did that night is not on you either. It's on me. No questions asked."

"I can remember everything as if it were yesterday, Alex. It's one thing to feel bad for myself. It's another own up to those misses. I had everything opportunity to return Chloe's calls, her emails, texts, everything. Which I did for a little while until I ditched my old number and email. The best farewell message I've ever given to Chloe was one on an old tape recorder we used to play around with since kindergarten. I really thought I had paid all my dues after Triple 4. I was wrong."

"I'm gonna grab some more wood for the fire. In case we need it. Won't be long."

While Alex left the camp to find more wood, I sat there still thinking about Chloe. I really hoped she made it safely to the Oregon past that storm. I can't imagine Bryan being able to fly in the middle of all that mess. Alex and I narrowly survived the storm ourselves and the heat those ConDef boats gave us only worsened the situation. If Chloe did make it to the Oregon, I know my parents have to know what Alex and I are up to by. As much as I hate myself for doing this to them and Chloe, Ares is the only antagonistic party obligating this upon myself.

Most imperatively, I wish I could've told Chloe a long time ago about Alex being my excuse for not talking to her so far away. I could only imagine if she'd feel differently the week we were together again if I had told her then. Would she still have wanted to be sacrificed the night the tornado emerged? Alex's supposed death felt like the only reason I needed her alive even at the cost of others. But what if I had known Alex was alive then? Would I have actually done otherwise? Then again, Rachel was alive too. Only that story differs.

"Hey, Max!" Alex shouted from her position. "Come over here! I think I found something you'll like!"

* * *

I responded to Alex's call and raced over to where her voice was coming from. Her voice was coming from a big hole in the ground that would take me to a catacomb underground. As I enter the catacomb through the hole, I eventually saw light somewhere inside. I could also hear more water falling inside as well. Must be where Alex was located.  
As I stepped further into the light, I was now glancing upon a shining waterfall that was falling through another hole above the scenery and was glowing sky blue. Whatever the light was coming from, it was glorious to stare at.

"Wowser," I said.

"Isn't this amazing?" Alex asked. "Wonder if this is where everyone took a bath during the middle of all the work that had to be done?"

"In a pond under a catacomb and waterfall? Depends if the water was clean."

Alex touched the water with her fingers for a sanitary check and the water was at its purest.

"Looks clean to me," stated Alex.

"Wonder why it's glowing blue?" I thought. "You think it's safe to step in that water?"

"It's probably coming from the moonlight orbiting through the water hole above us. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"What?"

Before I knew it, Alex removed her shirt and exposed her bra. Then removed her pants and exposed her undies. Then she removed her socks and shoes and stepped into the water barefoot. I immediately knew what she was up to now and she was ready to seduce me into it.

"Join me in paradise, milady?" Alex requested. With her hand held in front of her for me to take it. "The water doesn't hurt a bit. But first, the price of admission. Your clothes."

"You are such a bozo, Alex," I said. "You know that?"

I do exactly what Alex did before I stepped into the water. I remove my shirt, pants, socks, and shoes and then immediately take my cousin's hand and get in the water with her. I still had my Time Shard necklace on and I refused to take it off under whatever circumstances. Just to keep my word to Chronos.

The water didn't feel as cold as I figured. Perhaps the blue substance kept it warm? Our heads and arms were now floating above the shallow pond. Where we could now bathe in the moonlight.

"Ah…nothing like bathing in the midnight waters," said Alex. Swimming backward a little. "Hey, Max. Think fast!"

Alex splashed some water across my hair and face. Exactly what I thought she'd do. Another water war I was having.

"You are such a bitch, Alex!" I snapped with a chuckle. Then I splashed some water across her hair and face. We kept splashing each other as we spoke.

"Oh, you know you love this, Max!"

"There's an otter in my water!"

We stop splashing.

"There's a what?" Alex thought.

"You know, an otter in my water," I said.

"I don't get it."

"Oh, yeah? Then get this. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump."

"Oh, please. I thought you hated that movie."

"I thought you liked that movie?"

"Like you liked Final Fantasy: Spirits Within?"

"So underrated."

"So overrated."

The two of us laugh with one another as we bickered jokingly. This definitely took me back to when Chloe and I had our midnight swim at the Blackwell pool after the principal's office or when Rachel, Chloe, and I had our swim at the Kettle Lake Lodge after my freedom party at Two Whales.

* * *

We eventually step out of the pond, dry ourselves off, and put our clothes back over our skin. Then we headed back to the camp and seeing our fire dying out. Alex put it completely out and we both step inside our little tent and sleep on our little beds we made from scratch as well. Too bad we were going to have to sleep without sheets though. As if we hadn't lost enough to our boat crash already.

We both lye down on our beds under the tent. It had been a long and fucked up day for us since we left Rome and all that mattered now is that we got some shut eye and get to that ark before ConDef does first thing in the morning.

"Ah, I'm bushed," said Alex with a yawn. "I think we've earned ourselves a good night's rest after a long day of finding the Time Shard, surviving stormy seas, and making it to Meridian Prime herself."

"And to hope the three psychos who are after us don't find us here and slice our throats in our sleep," I said. "Just saying."

"And if they do, Chronos can take control of that shard until we remedy the errors of our ways. Good night, little cousin. Don't let the bed bugs bite."

"Hey, Alex."

"Yeah?"

"I don't know if I did the right thing to protect Chloe. Nor do I think I can trust Chronos in accepting his deal, but I trust you, Alex. I should never regret that."

"You won't, Max. I'll make sure of that. Sweat dreams."

Somehow, I had an itchy feeling about not only trusting Chronos but even trusting my own cousin. All paranoia aside, I shut my eyes and fall fast asleep for all the shut-eye I was going to need for tomorrow. Which may even be a more fucked up day than today.


	17. Ares and the Dark Order

Chapter 17 Ares and the Dark Order

Alex

June 10th, 2006

7:31 PM

Tillamook State Forest

Tillamook Camping Grounds

It was getting dark out and I'd say we had an excellent time so far. After climbing down the cliff and teaching my cousin and her best friend some moves on the rope, we set up camp next to the Wilson River where we actually did some fishing. While Max and Chloe caught the littlest fish, I caught myself a big whopper and even bragged about it a little. We put all of our fish in a bucket for our super.

The six of us sat around the campfire where we cooked and ate our fish. Max and friend decided to eat our canned beans and hot dogs instead as well as some smores for dessert which I ate as well. Chloe was really addicted to the s'mores. Hogging down all the marshmallows, graham crackers, and choc-o-crisp. She needed to reduce her sugar high.

"Mm…oh god…mm," said Chloe with her mouth full of marshmallows, chocolate, and crackers. "So good! I could eat s'mores all night long!"

"Slow down, Chloe," said Max. "You're gonna get sick."

"'Slow down, Chloe,'" mocked Chloe. "'You're gonna get sick.' Are you Mom now?"

"Chloe, I'd have to agree with, Max," said William. "I think you've had enough smores for tonight."

"But Dad-!"

"No 'but Dads'. You've had three hot dogs and who knows how many smores. I'd hate for your mom and me to experience another throw-up incident with you."

"Fish paste."

"I think I've had my last s'more for tonight as well, Mr. Price," I said. "Anyone up for any ghost stories to tell?"

"Well I'm glad you asked, Alex," said Dad. "I think I have a really good story to tell you all around this nice warm fire."

"And which one is that?" Max asked.

"It's about the story of Ares and the Dark Order."

"Bryan, you sure that's a good idea to tell that story to the girls?" Uncle Ryan asked. "It might be a bit scary for them."

"Isn't that the idea of telling ghost stories, Uncle R?" I thought. "To scare people?"

"What's Ares and the Dark Order?" Chloe wondered.

"You mean who's Ares and the Dark Order," corrected Dad. "Let's all scaring aside, this might educate the girls a little bit on Greek mythos if they wish to learn some."

"I'm sure Greek mythos will bore them to death," said Ryan. "But it'll also scare them to death anyway."

"Oh, come on, Mr. Caulfield!" Chloe whined. "I could use a good ghost story if I can't eat marshmallows all night long!"

"Maybe we should tell something a little less scary, Bryan?" William thought. "I've told the kids some kid-friendlier ghost stories in my time."

"Maybe I should tell the story, Dad," I suggested. "Not that it'll be less scary but you've told me the story countless times already and it'll save your breath from having to tell it again."

"Maybe I should be the one to tell the story since I know it better than anyone," insisted Dad. "Believe me, I'll be telling it till the day I die and never grow tired of it. Shall we begin?"

"I hope you know what you're doing, Bryan," said Ryan.

* * *

_Long ago, during 6__th__ century Greece, the King of the Olympians named Zeus and his queen named Hera gave birth to their first-born named Ares. Throughout the age of ancient Greece, Ares was raised by his father Zeus to be an Olympian along with his other siblings and ancestors. Eventually, growing up to be the greatest warrior and conqueror that ever lived and coronated as the god of war, bloodlust, and manliness._

_During the era of Sparta, the gods and mortals saw Ares as a model soldier of his resilience, physical strength, and military intelligence unrivaled by no other. Greatly admired by the Spartans who fought in the Peloponnesian War. After Ares's great battles since the battle of Troy in the Trojan War, Zeus offered his son an independent monarchy in ruling the civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula and the Scythians. Where he'd be worshipped by the inhabitants of Tylos and as a savior._

_For generations, Ares was known to be a guardian of peace after retiring from his days of warmongering. Until one day, when the Scythians were on the verge of overpopulation and scarce resources, Ares sought out a solution from his father Zeus. When Zeus was asked to help his son in his dire need for his people, Zeus saw something in Ares that disturbed. While furnishing the resources for Ares's people was indeed admirable, Zeus foresaw a certain corruption in his son that made him refuse. Had he let Ares take the resources for his people, it would be at the cost of others' need for them as well. Ares was furious._

_Wanting to take matters into his own hands, Ares rebelled against his father and rallied an army known as the Fallen. An undead army of his fallen soldiers who's lives befell to the Peloponnesian War and Trojan War. As well as his adopted children Ares had called the Dark Order. That included Apollo the god of prophecy, Nemesis the god of revenge, Thanatos the god of death, and Hephaestus the god of masonry. Together, they conquered Olympus and Zeus's reign of ancient Greece. Thus, Ares killing and dethroning his own father._

_After Olympus's downfall and Zeus's defeat, Zeus's people eventually died out and his civilization was no longer. Ares spent the rest of his life searching for answers as to what ensure the fate of his people would never occur again. Eventually, his eyes gazed at the answer he looked for which were the cosmic entities that could remake the world into his own grandeur. Those entities were known as the Eternity Shards. The six elemental jewels capable of balancing every aspect that makes our universe. Power, Space, Reality, Soul, Time, and Mind. With these shards, Ares believed he could save our universe by wiping out half of every living being in our universe in favor of lesser resource consumption. It wouldn't be easy for him._

_In order for the shard to do Ares's bidding, he would go on to build massive machinery built by the gods who followed Ares as well as the rest of his loyalist with them. A device capable of programming the shards as one wishes. The machine was called the Ark of Genesis. Another device that would be needed for Ares's goal would be the Eon Codex. The device that would program the ark to program the shards to Ares's will. After centuries of conquest, Ares fought, conquered, and raged wars against anyone who would oppose his motives of balance to the universe. Prophecy tells that whoever would wield the shards and utilize the Eon Codex to activate the Ark of Genesis for balance would be deemed the mantle of possibility and unleash the reclamation effect restoring glory to the universe alone._

* * *

"And that's the legend of Ares and the Dark Order," said Dad.

"That wasn't scary," said Chloe. "Not even for a ghost story."

"He pretty much told us the less-scarier version, Chloe," said Alex. "The version Dad would tell me has parts that are perhaps too violent for your liking."

"Yeah," said Uncle R. "I'm glad he decided to. The kids would have nightmares for weeks if he told that stuff."

"Well I'm glad you could make the story family friendly as you have, Bryan," said William. "It is getting late. By now the three of you must be bushed."

"Oh, come on, Dad," said Chloe. "I'm not tired."

"Good try, Chloe. But I know a sleepy face when I see one. Let us all put out the fire and get cozy in our tents and sleeping bags. We leave tomorrow first thing in the morning."

We had three separate tents for us to share. Chloe decided to sleep in one tent with her dad. My dad slept with Ryan in another tent. I slept with Max in our tent. As the two of us crawled inside our tent and tucked ourselves under the blankets our resting bags, I had a few words to say to my little cousin before turning off the lamp in our tent getting some shut-eye.

"You and Chloe really are one of a kind," I said. "You know that, right?"

"I know that we're nothing but a bunch little bratty rug rats as Chloe's dad and my dad describe us," said Max.

"The cartoon Rugrats or just rug rats, rug rats?"

"Rug rats, rug rats."

"In my opinion, Chloe's the brattier one as she has been on this trip. But I think you two are cute when you're bratty."

"Shut up, Alex."

"My lips are sealed."

I smile in front of my cousin's adorable freckled face as she smiles back. Then she askes something about the story Dad had just told us by the fire.

"Hey, Alex," she said.

"Yeah?" I reply.

"In Uncle Bryan's story, he said something about an Eon Codex. Didn't you show Chloe and I something like that earlier?"

"It was a replica of it, yes. Why?"

"Was any of the stuff Bryan said real? Is the story true?"

"If I must be honest, I believe the legend is true in a way but only by speculation. Not confirmation. In fact, someday I'd like to find the Ark of Genesis myself. I've dreamed of doing so since the very first time Bryan told me the story. One day, I'd like to take you on that journey as an adventure of a lifetime."

"You cannot be serious."

"I'm always serious."

"Maybe we could talk about that in the morning. Good night, Alex."

"Good night, Max. Adventure is out there."

I turn off the lights. We shut our eyes. Then fall fast asleep.

**Note: Understanding that I've written about three chapters of exposition including this one, there will be no more. I've pretty much done all I've can to flesh out my main antagonist of this story and it's getting exhausting for me by the hour. So, they'll be no more exposition chapters from now on and I should have a better time writing future chapters of this episode going forward. Really had to take my time deciding how this chapter would be written.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	18. No Mission Too Difficult

Chapter 18 No Mission Too Difficult

David

July 23rd, 2017

9:23 AM

Beirut, Lebanon

Mitr Mar Station

Up in the morning and today was today we make the final push against ConDef toward the Capital Towers. Where General Alif was watching every ConDef vicinity taken over into Beirut. As well as where POWs and civilians were taken prisoner.

The team and I had another meeting with Dhaled before the start of the mission. We circled around outside the stations where Resistance and Chrysalis forces were outdoors rallying for the assault on the towers. Stepping inside vehicles and arming themselves with rifles. Dhaled had a speech to give to the crowd for a little motivation.

"The Capital Towers are heavily guarded and nearly impenetrable," he began. "Our mission is to take back the towers via stealth first, then all-out assault. Whoever holds the towers dominates Beirut. For lesser men, this task might seem insurmountable. About a year ago today, our Chrysalis division was toppled by our ConDef oppressors. Today, we strike back with a vengeance, take back our city, and show ConDef no mercy for their perdition. Captain."

"You all know our orders," said Cage. "Each of us will be divided into teams of three for the first phase. That is to stealthily sneak through enemy territory and plant C4 charges in hidden areas. Phase two will be to step inside the towers and release the hostages without notice. The third and final phase will be to set off the charge to wither the enemy barricades, unleash our assault on the towers, and assassinate Alif. Dhaled and I will take some resistance troops into the sewage lines underneath the ConDef patrols nearing the Capital Towers. Heard will take Newblood, Logos, and Wheeler towards the rear blockades of towers. Madsen will take Foley, Prescott, and Mason towards the frontal blockades of the towers. Both of which will be dealt with using explosive C4. All weapons are to be suppressed at all times so no ConDef can be alert to our presence. Lieutenant Mason, tell them what we're all about."

"No mission too difficult," said Mason. "No sacrifice too great. Duty first."

"I can't hear you!"

"No mission too difficult! No sacrifice too great! Duty first!"

"That's right! Now get ready to move out!"

"Duty first," said Wheeler. "Back to the ol' meat grinder."

"Amen Private," I said.

"We move out in five," said Mason.

As soon as the team disbanded and Dhaled left for his men, Cage had a quick word for Cayce, Kristine, and I. Not too surprising in our position.

"Before the three of you go anywhere," said Cage. "We need to have a few words."

"Captain, if this is about last night," said Kristine. "I owe you an apol-"

"You don't owe me anything, Lieutenant. Especially an apology. For the record, however, they would've court-martialed me three years ago after the Blackwell shootout had it not been for your dad becoming the antagonistic party. Now let's cut to the chase. The only reason Penske has allowed Prescott back in the front lines is that Madsen has vouched for her. So far, Prescott, you've only regained a bare minimum of my trust. So, I suggest you keep it up by not only succeeding your role in this mission but by not fucking us over. Clear?"

"Crystal."

"As for you two, you still got eyes on her. So, don't let your guard down. No excuses made."

"Commander Madsen!" A voice shouted behind me. "Commander Madsen!"

An operator was running towards me like a jogger in a triathlon. Catching his breath as soon as he was next to me.

"Are you Commander Madsen?" The operator asked as he caught his breath.

"Who's asking?" I thought.

"You have an urgent message from Admiral Penske coming from the Oregon. You must speak to him immediately!"

* * *

I leave my team behind and the operator escorts me to the communications room where Penske is on hold. I stand in front of another video screen to see Penske eye to eye.

"Admiral?" I said.

_"Commander Madsen, I've called for a personal matter of yours,"_ said Penske. _"One that supports your report about Project Tesseract from yesterday evening."_

"You're actually taking my report seriously this time? Why? How?"

_"Why don't you ask one of our newest refugees aboard who happens to be a family member of yours."_

Before I knew it, I witness a young woman in a jacket, tank-top, and half-dyed hair. My only step-daughter herself appearing in front of the communication screen next to Penske.

_"Hello, David,"_ said Chloe. _"Long time no-see."_

"Chloe?! What – what in the hell are you doing on the Oregon?! I thought you were going to Aaron and Linda's? Does your mom know you're there?"

_"Mom is well aware my feet are on this hunk of junk and so are Ryan and Nessa who are pretty much steamed at the moment as I as about what Max has been up to until now."_

"Excuse me?"

_"It would seem your story about this Ares figure is the same as you're step-child's as well as former operative Rachel Amber's. As soon as Chloe and friend arrived here, their story became lesser of a coincidence."_

"Rachel is there too? Chloe, when did you know? How did you know about Max?"

_"When Max hadn't been returning my calls for almost two weeks in a row and I discovered Max's lies as a student of a once so-called paranoid step-father himself. By invading Max's privacy and internet history just to discover her last known location. That which was in the middle of Rome, Italy."_

"Jesus almighty."

_"Now that I'll be taking action into this matter,"_ said Penske._ "I'll be reporting this to HQ and the Pentagon. It may not look pretty going public, but it's the right thing to do."_

"Admiral, don't. The Pentagon can't know about this. Not now. They'll never believe us."

_"It is within my power to inform every spec of intel we come across in this war straight to the Pentagon and every other international power that receives the word. They also never believed the events of Triple 4 would occur either. Perhaps that would make them believe otherwise. I understand you still have a mission to complete, Commander. I apologize for the urgency. Penske out."_

"Hold on, Admiral! Chloe, where is Max? Where is she now?"

"All I know is that she's taking off to some island she calls Meridian Prime to do her thing. Why?"

"Chloe, whatever you do, you stay on that ship with your mother and do not get off for anything or anyone! I'll deal with Max when it's time. That is my final word. Comprende?"

_"Entendido,"_ replied Chloe.

_"You're step-daughter will be safe and sound with us at the sanctuary. Just get out there with your team and take back the Capital Towers from General Alif. Penske out."_

* * *

Chloe

July 23rd, 2017

9:35 AM

USCC Oregon

Mediterranean Sea

"Don't you dare insult me with reasons to drag my daughter into things I forbid her to do!" Snapped Vanessa at Bryan. "You don't get to come back into our lives and pretend it's okay!"

As soon as I met up with Max's parents, Rachel's parents, and Mom with Bryan, Rachel, and I, we had entered a resentful argument between one another. Vanessa's hysterical reaction to Max's actions surprised me none.

"There's a difference between what happened before and what happened now, Ness!" Bryan snapped back at her. "Why can't you see that?!"

"And you!" Vanessa growled with her finger aimed at me. "I don't suppose you've been covering for my baby now, have you?"

"Vanessa!" Mom intervened. "How dare you point fingers at Chloe when she's been lied to as well!"

"How about we just all settle the fuck down before my daughter throws another salad bowl through the table!" James shouted. "For starters, I know that Rachel played a role in Max's doing which I don't appreciate either. For seconds, we cannot rectify this compromise of ours like cats in a dogfight."

"Nor can we rectify this compromise when Max isn't around to tell this from her perspective," said Ryan. "Or perhaps Chloe and Rachel would like to tell from what they know. Well?"

"I will speak on Max's behalf, Mr. Caulfield," said Rachel. "Since I was the one with her long enough to know enough."

"It's Ryan, but do tell."

"Max called around the day before she left on her flight to Vancouver. The day before the Seattle attack. When she and her cousin Alex arrived, I at first believed it was about her cover story that was the Vancouver job. It wasn't until when Frank and I were invited to Bryan's house when we knew the truth. We decided to play along with Max and Alex by traveling our asses to Italy while the two cousins went to Greece to find our key objectives for Max's secret mission. As soon as we all regrouped in Italy, that's when Chloe showed herself to learn the truth."

"Pfft, secret mission," scolded Vanessa. "I don't even know what to say anymore. I tried to forgive and forget Max's time power bullshit after her trial, after Triple 4, whatever. But now – I resent this. I really do. And now Alex is alive and well too. We're faking each other's deaths now. What the fuck next?"

"My wife's resentment aside," said Ryan. "Why would you do this to us, Bry? Exactly why out of nowhere would you drag Max into another goose chase like this. And how exactly is my niece still alive all these years since the break-in?"

Bryan looked too troubled to answer his brother's question. As if he knew something we didn't but couldn't answer for his own reasons.

"If I told you now," he said. "It may expose our…private matter we tried to keep to ourselves for years now."

"Oh my god, Bryan," said Vanessa. "Are you really out of your mind? You drag Max and Alex into the other side of the world, you fake Alex's death, now you have the tenacity to say it's because of your private matter?!"

"You know what," said Rose. "There was a time when James and I had to go through Rachel's false-"

"I'm not talking to you!"

"Okay, Ness," I said. "As much as I'm just as stressed the fuck out over Max's lies, perhaps I'd like to go out on a limb and say Maxine Caulfield is the chosen. Prophesy tells, she's the time traveler chosen to save us from the god of war who wants to take over the fucking world and destroy half the population on this fucking planet!"

"You watch your tongue there, Chloe! I mean it!"

"She's not wrong, you know," said Bryan. "Max may lie to you but I wouldn't. Now allow me to go out on a limb and say Chloe is right. There's so much to this story where we can only explain so much only you can all understand. I know this is too frustrating for you to except, Ness, but ranting and raving about it won't change what's truly at stake here."

"And what exactly is at stake here?" Ryan asked.

"The quickest answer is that Max will be the only hope we have at winning this war. Assuming Max and Alex can survive their journey to Meridian Prime."

"That's a pretty big assumption of your, Bry," said Vanessa. "Max has been many things since I've given birth to her. A chosen one isn't one of them."

"I beg to differ."

I thought about what David told me when I contacted him from the CIC room. Surely David could help Max when his mission in Beirut is over, but I was more worried it could be too late by the time he can. Maybe I can help her before it's too late. Even if I have to disobey David as I'm always good at. I may be still mad at Max and as mad as I may be, she still needed me and I still needed her. But I had to choose.

**X/SQUARE/LM – DISOBEY DAVID**

**B/CIRCLE/RM – OBEY DAVID**

"I'm going after Max," I said. "We have to go back to her."

"What?" Rachel thought.

"Excuse me?" Vanessa thought.

"Oh, no, you're not," said Mom. "You've quite a state long enough, Chloe. Didn't David tell you that you weren't to get off this ship? I know he did."

"I can apologize to David later, Mom."

"I'd have to agree with your mom, Chloe," said Ryan. "It's bad enough Max is out there-"

"Would Max not do the same for me? No one has to agree with me but Bryan and I can go to Meridian Prime right now and save Max and Alex. If anyone wants to come with, be my guest. Anyone disagrees, your opinion is noted."

"I know you're capable of risking your life out there like this, Chloe," said Joyce. "But you're still my daughter and you don't get to make decisions like this."

"Neither does Max. But I believe in Max Caulfield and I won't stop for anything until I know she's safe. Now, who's with me?"


	19. Cloak and Dagger

Chapter 19 Cloak and Dagger

Alex

July 23rd, 2017

9:20 AM

Meridian Prime, Meridian Prime

Meridian Prime Colonial Territory

The next morning my little cousin and I take down our camp and leave the commercial district. We attempt to find a way out of the village but it was going to be difficult with all the locked doors and exits barricaded by timber and debrief that likely came from the skirmishes of the World War I battle that were fought here.

Max and I enter a little brig inside the structures with a row of cells. With a few cell doors still open.

"Guess even a knight utopia needs a place to lock up riff-raff," said Max.

"Can you imagine who knights put in prison?" I wondered. "That's a little hypocritical. Don't you think? Knights having a jail?"

"Well, I guess every group has its assholes."

In the brig, one of us finds yet another crawlspace through yet another hole in the wall that looked to be a prison escape perhaps. Can you say jailbait, anyone? I follow Max through the hole and out of nowhere plywood collapses behind us keeping from going back to the district.

"Okay, guess we're not going back that way," I said.

Then we walk into some tunnels that looked like a mineshaft. As we walked across, we see rooms with tables, shelves, and bunk beds hidden inside. Someone was living underground here.

"Looks like a hideout of some kind," said Max.

"Yeah, but who would they be hiding out from?" I thought. "Themselves? The Germans? Skynet?"

We had our flashlights on to light the dark underground panic room built down here. Max spots a map on the wall with her light on and analyzes it briefly.

"Look at this," she said. "Looks like the layout of the commercial district."

"Yeah and…boom," I said. "There's our destination right there. See, there's the tower."

"What were these guys up to?"

We explore the room further and spot another Ares symbol marked on some wood on the wall.

"There's that symbol again," I said.

"Yeah," said Max. "You know, if that symbol was from an invading force, we wouldn't have found it in an underground hideout."

"Yeah, maybe there was trouble in paradise? Germans or Ares's forces?"

"All definite possibilities."

Max

July 23rd, 2017

9:25 AM

Meridian Prime, Meridian Prime

Meridian Prime Colonial Territory

Exiting the tunnels, we come inside a little modest church with a fallen statue and green grass with flowers growing out. Then we see a way out through a well we could use to rope down out of here. As I began roping down the well, I see some light down the gaping hole I rope down under and I've taken myself down a wide-open area where I could fall from a massive height from the rope I was hanging onto.

On the bright side, I could see more buildings of the rest of the colony from where I was hanging. Ruined buildings built right beneath the commercial district. Weird place to build things around a cliffside. On the plus side, whoever lived down here must have experienced an immersive view of the rest of the island as I have. On the minus side, a fall from this height would be deadly.

"Holy shit," I said. "Hey…ahhh…I found more of the colony!"

I swung my rope around a little just to jump across to a platform on one of the buildings. I guide Alex through when it's her turn to rope down and catch her when she jumped to my platform. Once both our feet were on a flat surface, we here more voices near us. It was no question who those voices belonged to.

"Shhh, shhh," I hissed. "Look."

"Ah, fuck," said Alex. "ConDef."

"I don't think they've seen us yet."

"Let's keep it that way."

"All right. Keep your head down."

"I was just about to tell you the same thing."

We hid in some bushes to remain undetected and overhear the soldiers take about Joanna, Alkaline, and Ares. I scan the perimeter with my time vision and see multiple ConDef posted on every corner from the rooftops to the windows. Impossible to sneak past them by hand with no detection. Then I remember the Time Shard and decide to make it useful once again. This was going to be my greatest way to play cloak and dagger around every ConDef bastard. However, my power wouldn't discriminate with Alex. She would be frozen in time as well. Then I remember what I did with Chloe when I freed her from a time stutter. I simply touched her and she was broken out of it. Can't see why or how it wouldn't work with Alex.

"Okay, Alex," I said. "I have a plan. But you have to trust me."

"What is it?" Alex asked.

I turn on my Time Shard again to freeze time and everyone is frozen except me. I touch Alex by her arm and I release her from the stutter. When Alex is unfrozen, she looks confused at first. But I do explain to her what's happening.

"It's okay, Alex," I said. "You're in a time stutter. I used it to get past another pack of soldiers yesterday when I was on my way to find you. All those soldiers in front of you are frozen in time. Except us."

"So…how come we're not frozen?" Alex thought.

"Cuz one, I have the power. Two, it's not affecting you now since I made it so. All I had to do was touch your arm and then you were free. I've done it on Chloe before and I've even used this power to save Kate from taking a leap of faith. Except I didn't have this shard at the time and it was a lot more painful when I didn't."

"Gotta admit, Super Max. You make it look so easy with that shard around your neck, we should've gotten it months ago to get around assholes like them."

"Stay behind me and follow my lead. I'll stop the stutter as soon as we're through them."

As I take point in front of Alex, we walk around ConDef troops standing still like decorative displays. Getting around the enemy was like taking a stroll through Central Park. Alex and I jump across gaps between rooftops, vault over windows, and shimmy across edges. Just about every class of ConDef soldiers were staged at their post from infantry, snipers, and grenadiers. Imagine getting past these fuckers without the shard.

Before we knew, we manage to get through the guarded buildings in under 5 minutes like a game of Mario Bros. Once I checked if the coast was clear with my time vision, I switched off the shard and time around us resumed to the continuum.

"So long boys," I said.

"Wowser," said Alex. "We should've been doing this weeks ago. Why couldn't we get that shard sooner? Maybe Fernando would still have both his legs."

"Maybe we should let the past die. Kill it if we have to."

* * *

Cayce

July 23rd, 2017

9:45 AM

Beirut, Lebanon

Capital Towers South Barricade

David, Kristine, Mason, and I are in position on the southern barricade of the Capital Towers. Overlooking the staging area up on a rooftop two clicks from our objective. I scope out the area with my binoculars to mark every hostile we were up against. I spotted two tanks, two guard towers, and a bunch of infantries left and right patrolling the barricade. I inform David what I was looking at and he ensures the other teams we were in position.

"Cage, Dhaled, we've reached our position overlooking the southern barricade," said David. "Have you reached yours?"

_"Affirmative, Madsen,"_ said Dhaled. _"You Captain and I have entered the pipeline and are moving onward."_

_"Right we are,"_ said Cage. _"Heard, are you in position?"_

_"We're not anywhere we shouldn't, Cagey,"_ said Heard. _"Got eyes on the northern barricade, over."_

"Looks like the colonel's intel is spot on, Captain," I said. "I'm seeing tanks, sniper post, infantry, whatever left and right."

_"Your description is as good as mine, Foley,"_ said Heard. _"It's gonna be impossible to pull any stealth moves without detection."_

_"You all find a way past those barricades while we play our part in this infiltration,"_ said Cage.

"Roger that, Cage," said David. "Heard, you take care of the kid for us. Madsen out."

"Cayce is right," said Kristine. "We'll need to be smart if we want to cool the heat down there."

"I agree," said Mason. "Those snipers can spot anyone going down there. Clever tactics aren't overrated."

"All right," said David. "We can do this easier if we split up. Cayce, go with Mason and take the right side. Kristine and I have the left. I'll walk us through this."

I come with Mason as the four of us split and climb down the building. I tag along behind Mason as soon as we're in the streets. Checking our corners, watching for patrols, and so forth. We silently neutralize a few ConDef guards marching the streets and even hide from incoming ConDef vehicles driving by. We make it to the barricade and await David's orders.

"David, we've reached the barricade," said Mason. "Do you have visual?"

_"We're at the barricade too,"_ said David. _"It looks like those tanks and towers are set up as a line of defense. If we hide some charges on them, it should do a great deal of damage."_

"There's a lot of infantry around those tanks," I said. "We'll need a distraction of some kind if we want to plant C4."

_"If you have any, I'm open eyes."_

"Foley, look over there," pointed Mason. "A propane tank in front of the barricade. At least 500 gallons of it. If that explodes, that should be enough to distract the guards around those tanks."

"How do we get it to explode?" I wondered.

"A single round out of our weapons won't do. Multiple rounds might make too much noise even with silenced bullets. A well-tossed grenade should enough to get it done quicker."

Taking Mason's word for it, I take a frag grenade out of my belt, accurately aim for the propane tank, remove the bin, and bombs away. The grenade rolls across the road, stops under the tank, and kaboom goes the propane. The explosion combusted bigger than expected and was plenty to send every enemy boot on the ground running towards the exploded propane to investigate. Now was our opportunity.

_"Whatever you did, Cayce,"_ said David. _"It worked. Now's our chance. Take the right tower and right tank. We got the others."_

"Certainly," I replied.

Mason and I race towards the barricade and start planting the C4 before the infantry returned to their post. Mason had the tower and I had the tank. I crawled under the tank as the best hiding spot for C4 and Mason planted his explosive behind a beam built on the tower. When that was all said and done, we met up with Kristine and David past the barricade undetected once they had done their jobs as well.

"Nice work, everyone," said David. "Phase one is complete. Cage, we're past the barricade and the C4 is set."

_"Good work, Madsen,"_ said Cage. _"Heard, how's your end?"_

_"Honestly, I thought the mission would go FUBAR before we could even completer phase one but we're past our barricade as well. Right before the greenhorn here could fuck it up."_

_"Hey, they taught me well how to handle explosives in the academy,"_ said Flint.

_"Just behave yourself, Wheeler,"_ said Cage. _"Dhaled and I are coming inside the basements of the towers now. Let us know when you're all inside. Cage out."_

"I pretty much thought we'd be a goner by now also," I said. "Guess I made it look too easy with a frag to propane."

"Let's not spill drinks just yet," said David. "Phase two is now in motion. Let's go."


	20. The Traitors of Meridian Prime

Chapter 20 The Traitors of Meridian Prime

Max

July 23rd, 2017

9:39 AM

Meridian Prime, Meridian Prime

High Rent District

After our game of cloak and dagger, Alex and I make it towards a ruined house that looked nicer than any of the other buildings we've seen in this colony. The infrastructure of the house alone was neatly designed with chandeliers on the ceiling, railings made of concrete and balustrade pillars, and a staircase with a curve. Aside from a missing ceiling and flora growing out of the walls like everywhere else as part of the damage done a century ago. I whistle.

"We're definitely in the high-rent district now," I said.

"Not residential though," said Alex. "What do you think? Some kind of administration building?"

"Probably. Maybe Meridian Prime had a zoning committee?"

"Yeah, maybe they paid taxes?"

"Who knows?"

Exiting the so-called administration house, we find ourselves stumbling upon the sight of a battleground out in the courtyard. Skeleton remains wearing World War I military uniforms, barricades made of junk, scrap, and barbwire, and even a tank that was from the first world war in terms of design with a hole blown inside. As well as cannons aimed at the tank that must have shot it down. This could all explain the damage done from the inside.

"Holy wowser," I said.

"Well, I see our missing colonists," said Alex. "Some of them anyway."

"Jesus, these aren't even colonist. They're soldiers. British and American by their uniforms. A couple of Germans as well. Just look at this place. Cannons, improvised barricades…made of razer wire. What the hell happened here?"

"Some kind of battle."

"It's a rhetorical question."

"They even got a snazzy-looking tank. An A7V by the looks of it. It would take all those cannons to blow a single hole in the wall with 6.5 hp/tonne armor."

"The real question is how did the German really get here to pull an offense like this? And why?"

Alex observed the bodies to be more analytic. Analyzing the coats, helmets, and weaponry on the corpses themselves.

"Some of these bodies are dressed a bit fancier," said Alex. "Look more like officers than soldiers."

"So, it was the colonial troops versus the Germans," I said.

"And if that's the way to the ark up there…

"Then it appears someone was trying to make a withdrawal."

"Yeah, let's just hope they didn't succeed."

"Right."

Past the skirmish, we go back indoors to walk down an aisle of statues taking us to a door with a lever next to it to open it. The row of statues between us was of angels glancing above.

"Man…this is impressive," I said.

"Ah, to say the least," said Alex.

I walk to the lever and pull it with my one hand to open the door next to us.

"And here…we…go," I said with a pull.

I hear the door open. Except it doesn't.

"Or not," said Alex. "Here, want to give me a hand?"

"Yeah."

The two of us open the door by hand and we step inside a large room that looked to be a library ransacked by the skirmish. There were shelves tipped over and disjointed, a big hole in the ceiling, and grass growing out of the floors and walls like every place we've been 'till now. The library looked vacant from every best seller you could find.

"It's empty," said Alex.

"'Course it is," I said.

"You think Joanna?"

"No. Nothing's been touched on here for a hundred years."

"Right. Well, search for clues?"

"Yeah. Search for clues?"

Searching the library devoid of books, I start searching in one of the drawers no one's touched in a century. Empty. I see a dusted painting on the ground with "TRAITOR" written on it. Must be one of the Herd members. I look inside another drawer and find an old shipping manifest with a list of munitions and other war supply written. I find another painting of a Herd member with "TRAITOR" written over it. Every war has its traitors as the old song and dance goes. Whatever happened here.

I notice a desecrated statue without its head on built at the forefront of the library. More decomposed bodies of soldiers lying dead on the floor. The battle likely spread inside here given the firefight that took place out in the courtyard. I looked over one of the bodies to see it wearing a German uniform. I even catch eyes on bullet marks with the bullets stuck through the cloth and into the dried flesh and bones.

"What the fuck happened here?" Alex wondered.

"Good question," I replied.

"What if…maybe this fight took place when they were pushing towards the ark? If you put the dots together, there's the tank outside, the barricade, this ransacked library…"

"If it all fits, then maybe so."

I turn my head from Alex to see the missing statue head leaning against the floor. I identified it as Ezra Prescott's head and his statue of where it came from. He's certainly seen better days. Not a good time to lose your head.

"Wait a sec – Max!" Alex called out. "Over here!"

I run over to Alex's position to investigate her discovery.

"What d'you got?" I asked.

"Meridian Prime money," answered Alex.

Alex tossed me a gold coin that was the Meridian Prime money. The head side of the coin was marked with a familiar sigil I've been catching eyes onto since this trip began.

"This has Ezra's sigil on it," I said.

"Um-hm," said Alex.

"He must've melted down the gold. Minted his own currency."

"So, based on that, all the manifests on the shelves, it was how he made his own welfare."

"Yeah. Must've been how he paid for his war efforts. That leaves the bigger question: Is this the way to the ark?"

"Okay, so we know that there was fighting outside."

"Yeah and inside."

"What? You think the colonists fought their way out of here?"

"No…I think they were trying to reclaim what was theirs. Look."

I give the coin back to Alex and I point at the paintings still hung on the wall vandalized with minor damage and the word "traitor". Two of them were paintings of Ezra and Jeremiah."

"Here's Ezra, Jeremiah," I said. "Founders of Meridian Prime. All marked with the word 'traitor'. Not 'murderer'. Not 'tyrant'."

"'Traitor'," said Alex. "So, by the time the Germans and the colonists busted in here, they had already made it to the ark."

"Yeah, because these guys had already been fighting for it for themselves. HOWs will by HOWs, right?"

"Yeah, HOWs will be HOWs. Huh. I know where they went."

"What? Where?"

Alex pointed her finger above us and we stare up at the half-damaged ceiling. Painted with a map of the adjoining colony next to Meridian Prime.

"It's a map," I said.

"Yeah, right there," said Alex. "That's how we get to the ark."

"This – it's a map of Meridian Prime."

"Right, so follow it to the other side of the island and look. Right there."

"New Exodus. Wait, Ezra was from Exodus, England."

"He sure was. Man, those are some seriously large mansions."

"Each of them has its own sigils too."

"Because that's where they lived."

We chuckled. The traitors of Meridian Prime were her own founders. A sadistic reminder of what a Prescott is and has been capable of throughout the course of history.

"Whaddaya say we uh – climb that watchtower, huh?" I reminded. "Get our bearings."

"New Exodus here we come," said Alex.

On our way out of the library, it just so happens we were already at the watchtower. The watchtower was built directly over the admin building above our head. When we step inside the tower, it was amazing to see how most of the structure inside had survived the fighting a hundred years on. There was a staircase in front of us we could simply walk up to get to the top and find where that ark is standing.

"All right," I said. "Up we go."

"I'm really shocked the stairs are intact," said Alex.

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't jinx us."

Then Alex stepped on a stairstep that creeks. At least it didn't break.

"Whoops," she said. "Spoke too soon."

"Like I said," I said.

The two of us make it over one flight of stairs and see how high the tower really is looking upward.

"Max, you seeing this tower?" Alex asked.

"Sure am," I said.

Up to the stairs, I could see the mountain with the narrow curve afar from this colony. Like the Grinch's mountain. Only with a straighter curve and not a swirl.

"We're just about there," said Alex.

"She sure is excited," I said.

When we make it to the top, I give Alex a boost up a broken ladder and she kicks down a crate for me to climb over and boost myself to Alex's ground. Once I'm up where Alex is, we climb another ladder to finally reach the highest peak of the watchtower. Standing on the narrow roof of the tower gave us yet another spectacular view of the island's entirety. We were on top of the world now.

"Whoa," I said. "Quite the crow's nest, huh?"

"There it is," pointed Alex. "Just on the other side of the river."

We get a view of New Exodus located a few klicks from Meridian Prime. The twin colony had been built next to another falls from as far as our eyes could see. We could see the mansions we saw on the map built exactly where they were. All of which belonged to Ezra's herd themselves.

"Well," I said. "Whaddya say we go break into rich people's homes, huh?"

Alex found a down the tower by climbing down some ledges of the walls of the tower. As dangerous as it was, it's not as if we haven't done anything less dangerous before.

"Hey, is there a path down there?" I asked.

"Ah, of sorts," answered Alex. "C'mon."

Understanding my cousin doesn't always think the best, I never had a lot of options. We could take the stairs down but then again; they weren't as stable as Alex figured. So, I started climbing down the ledges with Alex for a dangerous but improvised shortcut.

"So, how long do you figure it'll take us to get to New Devon?" Alex wondered.

"Well, a couple of hours," I thought. "Depends on what or who we bump into along the way."

Alex and I stop climbing and stand on a balcony to rest our arm and legs from climbing all the way downward. We can at least walk down whatever stairs aren't broken until we really need to climb around for our descent. Then we hear a crackle sound distant from us. It sounded like a rocket had just launched out of the air. Before we knew it, we had seen an RPG rocket-firing right at us and we immediately take evasive.

"Ah, shit!" I panicked.

"RPG! Move!" Alex warned. Throwing herself at me to protect me from the RPG fire.

The rocket blew our balcony into bits of concrete and we evaded ourselves indoors. ConDef was were and now we had to deal with them again. Sooner than anticipated.

* * *

Rachel

July 23rd, 2017

9:42 AM

USCC Oregon

Mediterranean Sea

After Chloe and I did our best arguing with our parents to convince them that Max needed us, we were arming and gearing ourselves up on the flight deck where Bryan parked his plane. Frank decided to come along with us to help Max and Alex in Meridian Prime and he armed and geared himself up as well. I still thought it was too dangerous for us to get ourselves killed out there for the Caulfield cousins as Mom, Dad, and Joyce said it was, but at least I wasn't going to let Chloe do it alone.

"You do realize Max wouldn't want you to endanger yourself like this," I said to Chloe. "Why do you think she lied to you all these weeks just to protect you?"

"You really don't have to agree with me, Rachel," said Chloe. "But I need to do this. As pissed as I am at Max for the lies she thought could protect me, I still care about her. She's risked her life for me before and here I am returning the favor."

"I've risked my life for her too, you know. Think about that."

"Don't gotta tell me twice about that. I've nearly lost her once. I won't let it happen again."

"Listen, Chloe. Just hear me out for one minute. Max broke her promise when she did. I was against it at first but I decided to play along after being convinced otherwise and so did Frank. But never did I help her lie for her except when I had to talk to Mom and Dad on the phone. The stakes at hand here are the reason Max couldn't keep her promise for as long as she needed to. Maybe somehow she knew it wasn't over for her. Maybe somehow she knew she had to prepare herself for a time like this. We all thought it was over for us back in Portland but clearly, it wasn't. Sometimes that's just not for us to decide and we need to do whatever it takes to handle that."

There was not another word from Chloe. As if she was really listening to me or not. She turned away, holstered her gun, and boarded Bryan's plane. Bryan paused to Chloe before she hopped.

"If I had to defend your friend's actions," he said. "I'd listen to her. I already have enough fire thrown at me as I do and I really don't wish to get blamed for whatever happens to you. It's what you're mother Joyce would want, it's what Max would want, even what you're step-father David wants right now. Consider that my advisory."

Chloe still said nothing and stepped inside the plane. Bryan boarded himself after her. Then Frank walked behind me and held my shoulder.

"Sounds like you two are butting heads again, aren't you?" Frank thought.

"More or less so," I replied.

"You know, there was a time when Max almost took my life away and now I'm risking my life for her. The irony is inescapable. I wouldn't blame her for trying to put a bullet in me. I brought a knife to a gunfight when I had my knife on Chloe and Max was scared shitless. Now she can shoot guns at people like a game of Call of Duty."

"I've learned and trained myself to fight with guns as my inner defense in the real world as well, Frank. Let's go and save ourselves some Caulfields on that island."

**Note: So, I've written this chapter in time before going out of town in two days and I may not have time to write when I'm gone. I'll be going to Disneyland again and will be checking out the new Star Wars park Galaxy's Edge that recently opened in Anaheim, California where the Disneyland Adventure Park is located. I also saw Spider-Man: Far From Home yesterday and found it to be a great epilogue chapter to the Infinity Saga and conclusion to phase 3 after Avengers: Endgame.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	21. Capital Towers

Chapter 21 Capital Towers

David

July 23rd, 2017

9:53 AM

Beirut, Lebanon

Capital Towers

My team and I breach inside the towers cautiously with no detection as planned. Going through the front entrance and into the lobby would expose ourselves and compromise the mission. So, we went inside using the emergency exits instead. Using small charges to blow the locks open. I radioed Cage and the others to signify our position.

"Cage, do you copy?" I said. "We've breached the inner compound through one of the emergency exits. Over."

_"Roger that,"_ said Cage. _"We've made it to our destination as well. Is Heard and her group in position too?"_

_"You bet we are, Cagey,"_ replied Heard. _"Just went inside the backdoor to this place and picked off a couple of guards too. Doesn't this place have cameras? We had to shoot one just to get inside."_

_"We're at the power generator for this building,"_ said Dhaled. _"Shutting the power in five…four…three…two…one…"_

And the lights go out. Gaining every ConDef personnel's attention especially General Alif's. We needed to release the prisoners and kill Alif fast.

_"Bloody terrific, Captain,"_ said Newblood. _"I can't even see my gun in here."_

_"Neither can every ConDef a-hole in these towers,"_ said Cage. _"That's why we never leave home without the night goggles."_

"Everyone, switch to night-vision," I said. "You all know what to do."

I put my night-vision goggles on with the rest of my team as instructed and we push forward. Since there wouldn't any power until we've reached the cellblocks, we had to take the stairs up.

_"Get those prisoners out of their cages ASAP before they find us here,"_ said Dhaled. _"Standing by until then. Dhaled out."_

It was going to be a long walk up the stairwell with our night-vision equipped and our guns held up straight. We had to march up the twentieth floor to reach the prisoners. Once we reach floor twenty, I cautiously open the door to our target floor and check the corner. I signal my team to move in.

We quietly pick off the patrols one by one who has flashlights on to see across the blackout. Shooting them down with our suppressed rifles with care. Someone in this building must be investigating the cause of the blackout right now and are likely on their way to the generator room where Cage and Dhaled are. The sooner we find the control room to the cells, the better.

Eventually, we make it to the control room and have eyes on three guards indoors through the windows. I knew how we could take care of them but I needed to notify Dhaled and Cage first.

"Madsen to Cage and Dhaled," I said. "We have eyes on the control room. Three guards, we need to neutralize. Stand by."

_"Belay that Davey,"_ said Heard. _"We're breaking into the room right now. We've got this."_

"What?"

We immediately spot Heard and the rest of her team bust through another door from the windows and see them shoot down the guards lickety-split. Heard gives us the okay sign for us to come in.

"What the hell," said Cayce.

"Nice work, Heard," I said. "We're coming in."

Cayce, Kristine, Mason, and I step inside the control room with Hear, Logos, Newblood, Flint back together again.

"Welcome to the cell control room," said Heard.

"Welcome back to Valor," I said.

"End of the world, David," said Logos. "Wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"Man, I thought I was going to throw before we even reached twenty," said Flint.

_"Madsen, Heard, you still with us?"_ Cage asked.

"We're in the control room now, Captain," I replied. "Just regrouped with Heard and the rest of the fireteam. You can turn the power back on now."

_"Affirmative,"_ said Dhaled. _"Switching the power back on now."_

Five seconds later, the power to the building was restored and the lights were back on. We switch off our night-vision and we were prepared to open the cells.

_"Got it,"_ said Dhaled. _"You said you were at the control room right? Look for the controls to deactivate the cells. We've barricaded ourselves inside the generator room but we're exiting through the airshafts. Just release those prisoners and let the uprising begin!"_

"Look, David," said Kristine. "There's a lever thingy on the controls. Maybe that opens the cells."

"You've read my mind," I said.

I pull the lever downward without hesitation. Making a loud ass buzz noise and we can see the cells opening in unison from the control room window. Releasing every civilian and resistance captive alike. With phase two checked, phase three was now in motion.

* * *

Ares

July 23rd, 2017

9:47 AM

Project Tesseract Archeological Mine

10 Miles From Beirut

My ConDef troops and I breach archeological site the Space Shard was located in. We slaughtered every last Resistance and Chrysalis scum in this mine, staff and soldiers alike until I at last found my fellow children of my Dark Order. Imprisoned by the wretched Chrysalis inside the frozen tanks that subdued them. There were screams from the staff and gunshots from men which was the sound of winning to me.

I find the controls to deactivate the cryo pods Apollo, Nemesis, Thanatos, and Hephaestus were encased in. Once I deactivated the pods, my children awaken and collapse out of their chambers. Succumbing to the cold of their cryo-sleep as their bodies shivered in icy condensation and residue. I comfort my four children and make them look at me in the eye to ensure their safety. I touch eldest child Apollo by his chin and he looks up at me in relief. Coughing out the cold.

"Sire…is…is that you?" Apollo asked.

"You're safe now, Apollo," I assured him. "Free at last."

"Father?" Nemesis whimpered. "You…you came back for us!"

"How long were we out?" Thanatos asked.

"Six months in isolation," I told my youngest child. "Since then, I have been preparing for our day of reckoning. Another Eternity War has begun in the wake of my new regime and a new traveler who threatens our cause. The time has come to reunite our order and for every one of you to join the fight against the ones called Chrysalis."

"Sire, you have found Eternity Shards?" My second eldest child asks. Noticing the four shards I've collected.

"Indeed. Four shards in my grasp. Two other shards to collect. One that is held here in this facility. The other, with the traveler."

"And which shards have you obtained currently and which are still in the hands of mortals?" Apollo wondered.

"I've obtained Power, Mind, Soul, and Reality. Space is in this facility. Time is with the Traveler. Come with me and we'll take the rest together."

"We will not fail you, sire," said Nemesis. "Not this time."

"It is I who have failed you, Nemesis. As well as you're brothers. Not this time."

My Dark Order follows me into the project room containing the Elysium Forge containing the Space Shard. I blow the bulkhead door to the room open with the Power Shard and we all step inside. And there it was. The Tesseract standing on the pedestal the humans used to open their gateway to Hades' realm to the Underworld. Waiting to be wielding under my power.

Apollo approached the Elysium Forge before me. Removing it from the pedestal to hand it over before his father. Apollo carried the Tesseract over to me with caution and bent his knee to honor my prize.

"My humble personage," he said. "Bows before you're grandeur. The universe lies within you're grasp."

I remove my helmet as Apollo bends the knee and carries the Elysium Forge with the palms of his hand. Then I remove my shoulder and arm guards as well as my knee and leg guards. Knowing with five shards in my clutches, the only armor I would utilize to my necessity is the power of the shards held on the knuckles of my Eternity Gauntlet.

I take the Tesseract from Apollo and hold it in the grip of my fingers. Then I press my fingers tightly on the glass of the Elysium Forge to squeeze the shard out of it. I press tighter and tighter until the glass is crushed and shattered onto the skin of my hand. And then finally, the Space Shard was glowing blue in the palm of my hand. I then take the Space Shard and place it in the fifth slot of the gauntlet.

Once it's in place, I can feel the essence of the shard entering my body and feel it flowing inside me as I feel the shock of the Space Shard's power with all the other shards' power combined. I take a quick glance at the five shards on my gauntlet with only one remain from the treacherous Maxine Caulfield. I take her out, I take out every vermin that perishes half of this overpopulated world.

"There is one more shard in Meridian Prime within the traveler's grasp," I said. "Her name is Max Caulfield. We find her, we find the Time Shard. But first, we take care of this filthy Resistance army in Beirut. Then we find Caulfield, take the shard from her, and kill her."

"Your request is our pleasure, Father," said Nemesis. Bending the knee with the rest of her siblings.

**Note: Hope that was something. Cuz my new Dark Order villains will be the most badass antagonist I've written yet! I'm writing this note to let everyone know that there are only two more chapters left and this episode is finally over! Things are about to get tenser and action-packed as well as emotionally heart wrenching with deaths of characters to come and shocking twists of some particular characters you won't see coming! Or so I think.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	22. No Sacrifice Too Great

Chapter 22 No Sacrifice Too Great

Max

July 23rd, 2017

9:46 AM

Meridian Prime, Meridian Prime

High Rent District

I wake up coughing out the dust from the RPG explosion. Feeling the tremors of the rockets firing on the tower that is now being blown to bits. I get on up on my feet and look for Alex who had just saved me from the incoming rocket fire. I had lost sight of her.

"Alex!" I shouted out. "Alex, where are you?!"

"I'm down here!" Alex shouted back from the lower floors. "Come on!"

I wasn't going to be able to climb down the staircase since most of it was now deconstructed by the rockets. I immediately jump over the chasm between the fallen stairstep and land on a lower platform. Stumbling against a glass door and watching an entire roof go down the stairwell caused by the enemy fire. Alex was on another platform and her and I need to race out of here fast.

"Jesus, that was close!" I panted.

"Something tells me they really had enough of us," said Alex.

"Really? What gives you that idea?"

I hop over to Alex platform and we run down whatever's left of the stair to escape the crumbling tower.

"Down here!" Alex shouted. "Quick!"

"Don't wait!" I shout back. "Just go!"

All of a sudden, an explosion blows me off the stairwell and sends me collapsing to the bottom. I hit the floor again as I always do when falling to my doom. At least I'm still living through this. But I won't be for long the more I get trampled by the explosion. Alex runs at me to get myself on my feet and keep running again.

"Max! Max!" She shouts. "Get up, cousin! We gotta go! We gotta go! Now!"

Another explosion is caused and this time it sends us sliding downward. As well as half the tower to be coming down above us. The two of us slid down to the chunk of the tower and our bodies roll over the debrief. The worst part about it was that the chunk of the tower that had collapsed between the narrow ditch over a thousand feet deep. Our dilapidated platform wasn't going to hold and we needed to run for it immediately.

I keep shouting over my breath to Alex to not slow down for anything and we both just keep running and running with deteriorating concrete falling apart behind us in a Hollywood fashion. We eventually make it past the sinking tower to only then get sighting by ConDef goons and an armored juggernaut with a mini-gun with them. ConDef really knows how to pick their hired muscles.

We rush towards a door while evading the bullets from the mini-gun and rifles. We then heave and door open and burst through. Then we find another door blocked by debris. We both try heaving that door open until a grenade lands behind the door. Alex and I instantly take evasive maneuvers and then find ourselves landing over a dirt slide, sliding through a wooden fence, and myself hanging onto a brick wall while Alex lands somewhere she needs to fend off more ConDef.

I climb around the brick wall and can see Alex wrestling a soldier's rifle out of his hand while bullets are being sprayed. The tough girl Alex is, she defeats the soldier by stunning him in the groin and throwing him down the deep ass ditch. That's my cousin. Kiss his ass, Alex.

After climbing the brick wall with loose ledges and over a window hole, I suddenly get whacked in the face by a fist across the cheek. Then I pull my gun out only to have my arm restrained and my hand disarmed by the mad General Alkaline himself. Here for a round two, it seems. Alkaline himself then seizes my arm and flips me down on the floor with his boot against my chest and his gun aimed at my face. Right where the Time Shard is hanging.

"Hey, Alkaline," I said. "Good to see you again-"

Alkaline presses his boot harder against my beating heart.

"Ow!" I whimpered. "Okay, Mango! Mango!"

"What are you on about?" Alkaline wondered.

"Ow, it's my safe word."

"Hm. I should've ended you in Rome. Are you always this clever?"

"I have my moments."

"Yes. You and your cousin have proven yourselves the more capable adventurers on the island. Shame we're not on the same side. Ares is in Beirut fetching himself an Eternity Shard and releasing some old friends of his right now who are far worse than you've ever encountered. I see you've fetched yourself an Eternity Shard as well."

"Wait, there's…there's still time."

"Trust a Caulfield? Hm. I'm not falling for that again. I'm taking that shard from you if it kills you."

"Hey, hey, just – just let's talk about this."

Before we could even talk about this or even accept my fate, Alex jumps on Alkaline from the ceiling and they both land on their backs. Alkaline kicks back Alex in the face and I immediately pick up Alkaline's gun he dropped on the floor to defend myself from him. Until Alkaline charges at me and we both crash through a door, fall down through the roof of another house and hit the floor.

Alkaline spot his gun and next to him and reaches for it until it slips through a hole in the floorboards. We both get up for the rematch we're about to have ourselves.

"Okay," I said. "That was a…bit rougher than expected. I'll just uh…see myself out."

"After everything," said Alkaline. "You think I'm just going to let you walk away?"

Alex dropping again and landed with her shoes next to me. Making this a two on one fight this time.

"That'd be the wise thing to do," she said.

Alkaline scoffed with an amusing grin.

"Oh, come on, Alkaline," I said. "Really? We know you're a badass and all, but…there's two of us."

"You don't think my men are on their way here right now?" Alkaline thought. "All I have to do is buy some time. That's if I don't finish you myself. Ares will be pleased if I do. Eon Auternum."

"God damn it," I sighed.

"Go!" Alex snapped.

And the fight begins.

* * *

David

July 23rd, 2017

10:01 AM

Beirut, Lebanon

Capital Towers

The whole team regrouped in the elevator room as soon as phase 3 began. Cage and Dhaled took the elevator up to where we formed up since the power was restored. We could all hear the prisoners rioting in the halls. By now there had to be ConDef riot team underway to deal with the prison break we started.

We all hid inside the elevator room until the riot teams broke in so we could ambush team and make way for Alif. Sticking to the plan, Valor team and I found ourselves hiding places to set up our ambush while Dhaled would be out in the open pretending to surrender as live bait. Dhaled himself looked out the window to check the situation outdoors. About every ConDef unit was alerted about the riot if not our presence. We were going to need the rest of the Resistance and Chrysalis troop here as soon as possible but they can't get here until Alif was dead and the flare was shot in the sky to bring about the uprising as planned.

"Once Alif is dead," said Dhaled. "We get to the security station and drop the DEAD system. Then, the uprising will truly begin."

"I don't give a shit about your uprising!" Cayce bickered.

We someone bumping the door. Meaning the riot team was already here and about to break through the lock.

"Save it," I said.

We got into our ambushing position but Cayce was still bitching.

"These amateurs better not get in our way," he hissed.

Cayce and I took position between the door. Kristine, Flint, and Mason hid themselves on the left side of the room. Cage, Newblood, Heard, and Logos hid on the right. Dhaled stood out in the open like planned.

The riot team breached open the door and came marching inside with riot shields. Dhaled raised his hands up to act like he was surrendering.

"Please!" He wept. "Please don't kill me!"

I and Cayce got the jump on two guys with the shield and knocked them out in the face. The rest of the team found their openings past the shields and shot the rest. Dhaled rearmed himself and we all came marching out of the elevator room and into the prison riot.

"Let's split up," said Dhaled. "Cage, you and Heard help some these prisoners prepare for the fight. Mason, take you're private and sergeants up to the security station to shut down ConDef's DEAD system. Madsen, Prescott, Foley, follow me and let's kill General Alif."

"Cage to HQ, we've freed the prisoners and are underway to signal our reinforcements, shut the ConDef's DEADs, and kill Alif. Where do we find the security station?"

_"The nearest security station is on the twenty-fifth floor. That's you're target. Once you're there, you'll need to overheat the ConDef DEAD Network."_

"Copy. Cage out. Mason, you have your orders. Take the kid and the sergeants with you and finish the job."

"Yes, sir," said Mason.

"Move it or lose it, Valor!" Cage ordered. "I suggest moving it over losing it! Let's fan out!"

The team splits where we're all instructed to and follow orders. My usual companions and I follow Dhaled to our objectives as everyone else meanders to theirs.

"Once ConDef realizes what they are dealing with," said Dhaled. "They will bring reinforcements from other parts of the city. We will face heavy resistance every step of the way."

"I thought we were the resistance, Colonel?" Cayce questioned.

"Can the chatter, Corporal," I said. "And move it along."

We can here someone speaking Arabic on the intercom. Must be the General supervising the show here.

"Who's that voice on the intercom?" Kristine asked.

"General Alif is giving his speech on the balcony," answered Dhaled. "Remember, the attack must be brutal. It needs to be a statement. A symbol of strength. Beirut waits to attack on the death of General Alif. Cut the head from the serpent, and let its body destroy itself."

"We'll do what must be done," I said.

We were actually not that far away from Alif. Even though in mind he wasn't the true serpent who's head needed severing, we had our orders to take him out. The door to the balcony was just ahead of us and we stomped our way up the stairs to it for breaching.

I kick the door open and right in front of us was the general himself. Standing alone on the balcony spreading his tongue out to people of his false speeches. The man was in my sights and he turned around at me in shock giving him the element of surprise.

"What?! How the hell did you-"

Which was all he had left to say as soon as I slam his head against the sharp railing that instantly killed him. Then I lift Alif's body above my shoulders and raise it with all my might for Dhaled's rebellion to witness. Dhaled himself throws a Molotov over the railing as it crashes and burns against the lower balcony. The uprising was just getting started.

"Citizens of Beirut!" Dhaled echoed to the crowd. "Now is your time! Take back your city!"

I toss Alif's body over the railing and Dhaled fires his flare over the roof that signals our reinforcements and ignites the spark that would light the fire of the uprising and burn ConDef down. The four of us vault over the railing and land ourselves on the lower platform. The building was now in an uproar of POWs fighting back against ConDef. With some of the prisoners marching past us and armed with rifles to fight back.

"ConDef is in disarray," said Dhaled. "But they will soon regroup. Brothers, let us take back our city!"

Cayce, Kristine, and I fight alongside Dhaled and his Resistance fighters released from their imprisonment. Sitting behind cover and firing back at ConDef troops the old Chrysalis fashion way.

"Drive ConDef out of Beirut!" Dhaled barked.

_"HQ to all units advancing on the Capital Towers. We have confirmation ConDef has raided Project Tesseract's dig site and have looted the Elysium Forge. We've also confirmed the dig site's captives known as the Dark Order of escaped. I repeat, the Dark Order have escaped."_

_"Command to Dhaled. Come in, Dhaled. This is urgent. Over."_

"I copy," responded Dhaled. "What is it?"

_"We have reports of unknown hostiles ravaging our Chrysalis and Resistance units around every perimeter. We also have reports of an unidentified flying object burning down our troops one by one. Please advise."_

_"HQ to Command, you confronting the same UFO we've sited in Canyon Springs. Be advised, if you're men and ours are anywhere near it, do not fight it! I repeat, do not fight it!"_

"Commander, I am not liking this," said Cayce. "If that's who and what we think they are out there, it can't be a coincidence!"

"He's right, Dhaled," I said. "You need to order your men to fall back. They don't know what they're up against!"

"They're my men, not yours!" Dhaled reminded. "Command, tell them to keep pushing towards the towers and don't slow down for anything!"

"Belay that, Command!" I intervened. "Tell them to retreat! They're not trained or equipped to fight whatever's out there!"

"Stand down, Commander! Command, you have your orders. Tell my men any actions to the contrary will be considered insubordination!"

I wasn't going to argue further with the colonel. Some of the civilian prisoners running down the halls blocked our line of fire and we had to watch for them to avoid friendly fire. We find ourselves back to the balconies and see the elevator coming down the walls in front of the railings. We could use those elevators to hop on over and use them to get across the side of the tower.

We make a jump over the roof of one elevator and jump onto another. As soon as we jump across the other side we cut more ConDef down and run over to more elevators. The next set of elevators we use raise ourselves up to a few more floors. While Kristine, Cayce, and I stand on the roof, Dhaled enters indoors through the emergency hatch and drops inside to take the elevator upwards.

"Stay on the roof," he said before entering. "It'll take you all the way."

Dhaled pushes the button and we're going up. From up on this roof, we can see nothing but chaos flooding this building with Resistance and ConDef shooting back at one another. If this was how Dhaled wanted his uprising to turn out, let it be so.

_"The ConDef reinforcements are flooding the lower levels,"_ said Dhaled on comm. _"Our mission will fail if we do not hold them back."_

"You got a suggestion?" Kristine asked.

_"I will fight alongside my people. Deactivate the mobile shops below this level. That will buy you the time you need to finish this."_

"Go for it, boy scout," said Cayce.

As soon as the elevator stops, Dhaled and us part ways. My two closest people on Valor Team and I step towards solid ground and shoot through more ConDef. Watching for civilians as we did. Then a transmission from Newblood came on.

_"Newblood to Madsen! Are you there, Commander?! Come in!"_

"Newblood?" I respond. "What is it? Have you found the controls for the DEADs?"

_"Yeah, but we got bigger problems. Mason and the greenhorn are covering for Logos and I outdoors and we're spotting something strange. Or maybe someone-"_

I hear a loud crash on the channel. The sound of something busting through a wall and an unusual voice heard as well. It didn't sound like Ares's.

_"Holy hell, what the fuck is that?!"_ Newblood hollered. _"Run!"_

"Newblood come in!" I shout. "Newblood are you there?!"

No response.

"Sounds like they need our help badly," said Cayce.

"Kristine, Cayce, double time!" I ordered.

_"HQ to Valor, ConDef is locking down all floors in the Capital Towers. We're scanning for options."_

"Madsen to HQ, Newblood, Logos, Wheeler, and Mason are in trouble at the security station! Find us a path immediately!"

_"Standby, Madsen. We see an air duct system that leads to the security station. If you step inside, you may be able to save your team. Over."_

The three of us stop by an air vent which gets us inside the air duct directed to the security station. If we could fit through, we could make it over there.

"Really?" Cayce moped. "That's the best you've got? Son of a bitch."

"How 'bout you just can it and shoot that vent open," I scolded. "Newblood and the others don't have much time."

Cayce shoots the hatch open with his rifles and we crawl inside one at a time. As soon as we start belly crawling our way through, we get another transmission from our team in charge of the station.

_"Commander! Commander! It's Flint! Do you read?!"_

"Flint, what's you're status?!" I responded. "Are Mason, Newblood, and Logos with you?!"

_"No! Newblood and Logos ran off elsewhere! I don't even know where the fuck Mason went but we're being attacked by - OH SHIT!"_

"Flint! Flint! Foley, Prescott, let's pick up the pace now!"

We crawl faster inside the vents. Then we bust through another hatch and drop inside the security station. And then we see what appears to be a slaughterhouse in the room. Bodies of prisoners and Resistance with their blood-stained on the floor and the room desecrated with damaged consoles and shattered screen.

And worst of all Flint lying down looking more dead than alive. His face covered in blood and a chunk of his stomach missing with his livers and guts spewing out. The rook was down.

"It's Flint!" Cayce hollered.

The three of us rush over to Flint's body. Shocked to witness our youngest soldier go out like this. Kristine was terrified of seeing Private Wheeler like this and covered her mouth with her hand. Even wept in terror. I hold Flint's head up and stare at his bloody face to see my cough is own blood out and opened his eyes by just one ich.

"Flint…can you here me?" I said. Comforting the dying private.

"I'm hurt, Commander," said Flint with another cough of blood. "I…tell my little brother…my mom…dad…tell 'em I love 'em. And…and…"

And just like, the young man himself drew his last breath and died a second later. His head falling limp and his eyes dead open. I closed his eyes for him and grieve. We had just lost our first guy in Valor and we were too late to save him.

"He's gone," wept Kristine.

Cayce shut his eyes and bit his lip in frustration. I too cringe in shame and guilt knowing I let Flint down. The youngest of our team who had a long military life to live for. A man who was only Chloe's age and to think I could lose her like this. I slam my fist against the mush of our deceased private.

"Dammit," I snarled.

There was no more time to grieve. Mason, Newblood, and Logs still needed our help and the only way to do that was to find an undamaged console. One that could help us find them through the security feeds if it was still online. I snap out of my grief and switch gears to the mission.

"We need to find Mason, Logos, and Newblood," I said. "If we can find a console and find them through the security feed, they may still be alive."

"Most of this station has gone to shit, David," said Cayce. "Look around. We're not gonna find them in this mess."

"Look there," pointed Kristine. "It looks like that console is still active. If you can interface with it, we can still find them."

I get on the console and it surprisingly works despite the damage that had been done already. My fingers tap on the button and the security feed screen is on. I skip through every camera to find our team.

_"Madsen, come in,"_ said Logos on his comm. _"You there? We made a run for it out of the station but we lost sight of Mason and Flint. Have you seen them?"_

"We're still looking for Mason," I answered. "As for Flint…he's gone, Logos. They – they killed him."

_"Are you shitting on my balls, mate?!"_ Newblood asked.

_"Carajo,"_ said Logos. _"Poor kid."_

_"I'll kill every one of those wankers who killed Flint! His little mate just turned five the other week."_

"Don't come after us, you two," I ordered. "Find Cage and Heard while we go find Mason. We're not leaving without him."

As soon as I'm done hacking into the security feed, I eventually have visual on Mason and it's not good. Detention Block 7 was where he was located and not only do I see another bloodbath of dead prisoners but also more sinister individuals afoot. Not only when I zoom in do I see Ares strangling Mason by his throat like Darth Vader in Star Wars, but I also have visual on the iced prisoners HQ had warned us about their escape. The Dark Order surrounding Ares and finishing off the dying militia. I couldn't remember their names, but I know we've just run out of time.

"No," I said.

Ares tosses Mason on the floor on screen and I cut the feed. Immediately exiting the security station with my compatriots and make a run for Detention Block Seven. Ninetieth floor.

"I did not just see who I thought I saw!" Cayce snapped. "How the fuck did they get here?!"

"Detention Block 7, wasn't it?!" Kristine asked.

"Let's hurry the fuck up!" I scolded. "Mason's in trouble!"

_"Cage to Madsen! Do you read?! We lost contact with Mason and his group. What's your status?"_

"Cage, Newblood and Logos are elsewhere," I responded. "Flint's KIA and Mason's in peril! It's Ares! And the Dark Order is with him!"

_"Motherfucker…Madsen whatever you do, whoever the fuck this Ares guy is, do go after Mason that's an order!"_

"Belay that order, Captain! We lost one man, we won't lose another!"

_"Madsen -!"_

I cut Cage from communications and the three of us run across the hall to the detention block. Maybe it was too late to save Mason as it was for Flint, but we had to try. We were at least five stories from Mason. We could still save him whatever it takes.

_"HQ to Colonel Dhaled. DEAD Network has been destroyed. You are a go."_

_"Confirmed,"_ said Dhaled on the channel. _"Air support moving in."_

We spot Resistance and Chrysalis choppers and other aircraft flying past us from a glass wall and friendly troops were busting in.

"Watch your fire," I ordered. "Friendlies repelling in."

"Finally, the calvary made it," said Cayce.

Not only did we, at last, have men from the outside saving our skins, but also helos firing mini-cannons at ConDef to save our ammunition. As well as sparing us the delay from saving Mason. We were gonna need to the quickest route to him in order to avoid every ConDef roadblock they were throwing at us.

"Madsen to HQ. Lieutenant Mason is WIA at Detention Block Seven on the ninetieth floor. What's the fastest rout up there?"

_"Take the shop on you're floor to get to the ninetieth. It's routed to the detention center. That's the only option we have."_

"Better not be another fucking air vent," bickered Cayce. "These poor bastards. Up against the whole fucking ConDef. It's like they really think they have a chance or something.

"There's always a chance," said Kristine.

"Six months from now, they'll be under a whole new wave of oppression. Mark my words."

"Six months from now," I said. "Half of everyone with clean air to breath could no longer be. Mark my words."

Mason is impaled by his through a piece of rebar and paralyzed by the injury Ares had given him when tossing him over. The detention block is nothing but the carnage of prisoners and Resistance troopers. All done by Ares and the Dark Order. Nemesis, Thanatos, Apollo, and Hephaestus search the bodies to confirm their kills, Apollo preaches his words to the fallen, and Ares stands front and center.

"Hear me and rejoice," said Apollo. Walking over the bodies and past the paralyzed lieutenant. "You have had the privilege of being saved by the great god of war. You may think this is suffering. No, it is salvation. The universal scales tipped towards balance because of your sacrifice. Smile, for even in death, you have become children of Ares."

Cayce, Kristine, and I kick the door open to the detention center and make a formation with our guns trained on Ares and his children. Seeing the Dark Order out of their cryo pods made the pressure even more dense with Ares standing in front of them. The mighty god of war himself heard as coming inside as we grasped his attention along with his minion who turned at us menacingly.

"Ares!" I shouted with my gun barrel aimed at him.

Ares looked as if he waited for us. He gradually turned his head at us for talk. Slowly sure walking towards us. The god himself looked different than the last two times I encountered him back in San Fran and Canyon Springs. He had his helmet off and some of his limb guards removed as well. Whatever the reason, his face had featured a braided ZZ Top style beard and a Led Zeppelin style mullet for his hair. We could now see each other better with our own eyes without that malevolent helmet on.

"I know what it's like to lose," he began. "To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail nonetheless. It's frightening. It turns the legs to jelly. I ask you to what end? Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives all the same. And now it's here. Or should I say…I am?"

Ares raised and clenched his weapon known as the Eternity Gauntlet into a fist. Igniting the five Eternity Shards on the slots of his knuckles. Including the Space Shard, he likely swiped from the Elysium Forge back at the site. Mason made a vague attempt to get up from being impaled only to limp out.

"Agh…you talk too much," gurgled Mason with his dying breath.

"Mason, no!" Kristine whimpered.

"Let him go!" I demanded. "If you want to kill any more of my team, take me instead."

"Oh, I will, of course," said Ares. "You're exactly where I expected you to be. But I won't grant you a quick death that easy. Tell me where the Eternium Worm and Ezra's Jr.'s book is or it's your lieutenant's head. Perhaps you have a preference?"

"Yeah, I've got a preference," said Cayce. "Burn in hell."

"Contrarily speaking, your friend can."

Ares shook his head to Thanatos. Giving him the order to kill Mason. Mason himself turned his head for one last look at us with his dying eyes.

"No mission too difficult…no sacrifice too great," he said as his last words before being gutted in the heart by Thanatos's weapon and dying instantly.

"No!" I screamed.

A telepathic force shoved us away against the wall. The force being caused by Apollo's powers. Then Apollo telepathically restrains us with scrap metal to subdue the three of us. We struggle some to no avail.

"You have been a torn in my side for far too long, David," said Ares. "But have no fear. You'll soon be reunited with the traveler Max Caulfield when I'm finished with her. Sooner than you think."

"If you lay on finger on Max," I grunted. "You're a dead man!"

"No, I'm not. See you around."

Ares held up his gauntlet again and lit his purple shard known as the Power Shard above his head. Setting the whole detention block into purple flames and imminently setting off a massive explosion that would kill us all. The Ares lit the Space Shard that activated a cloud of electric blue energy forming a portal behind him and his children. Then the five of them disappear as the portal-like rift takes them out of the block and leaves us to die in here. And then the detention block exploded into nothing.

* * *

Max

July 23rd, 2017

9:53 AM

Meridian Prime, Meridian Prime

High Rent District

Alex charged over to Alkaline with her fist until Alkaline counter shoved her aside. I came at him as well until he kicks me away. Then Alkaline swing his foot over to Alex face knocking her down instantly. So far, the man himself was able to hold us off two on one with ease. My confidence was getting thinner every second my opponent was winning.

Alkaline caught me by my shirt and pinned me against the table to throw some stabs at me with his fist. I make an attempt to shake her off only to have Alkaline gain the upper hand.

"I'm tired of this island!" He bickered. "I'm tired of your cousin! And I'm tired of you!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Alex shouted. Running toward Alkaline just to be knocked back again.

"Get off!" Alkaline yelled while hitting Alex.

The mad general threw me away from him flat on the ground to shift his fight to Alex. However, he does that, I know why they made him a general now. I get up and run back to Alkaline and shove him over against the wall away from Alex. Then Alkaline elbows me in the back to shake me off. I counter him and hold his hand away from me.

"Can we talk about this-" I said. No talk allowed. I'm tossed to the side once again.

"I don't think so," replied Alkaline.

Alkaline kicks me backward and I'm thrown outside a window where I catch myself falling by hanging onto a corner beam. I knew Alex was in trouble without me and I had to get back to her quick. I climb onto my ledges as Alex breaks some of the wood I'm climbing onto fighting Alkaline from the inside. I kept on climbing. Hang in there, Alex.

I climb over to the roof of the house we were fighting in and spot Alex and Alkaline infighting from up here. I give Alkaline the element of surprise by leaping over him from this roof.

"Alkaline!" I holler.

I fumble on top of Alkaline and him, Alex, and I come falling down through the floorboards and land on some dirt ground near another cliffside. Where Alkaline's pistol had fallen when he had dropped it through the floorboards.

* * *

David

July 23rd, 2017

10:25 AM

Beirut, Lebanon

Capital Towers

The three of us lye down on the ground unconscious from the explosion. No longer restrained from the scrap metal Apollo had pinned us with. The whole detention block was now nothing more but burning debris around us. Our bodies were covered in rubble, cuts, bruises, and burn marks as we laid down knocked out from the shock of Ares's explosion.

Then I open my eyes, cough out the smoke I inhaled from the fire, and gradually pick myself up with my arms and legs. My ears ring from the explosion for a few seconds until I'm wide awake. I turn my head to Cayce who's still on the floor unconscious. I crawl over to his body and try shaking him awake. His eyes were still shut when I turn his body around to face.

"Cayce, wake up!" I shout. Slapping his cheek to wake him. "Wake up! Come on, Cayce! I'm not gonna lose you too!"

Then Cayce was coughing himself awake and eventually opened his eyes.

"Oh, thank goodness!" I sighed in relief.

"Commander…what happened?" Cayce moaned. "Where's Kristine?"

We hear a voice moaning next to us. It was Kristine regaining consciousness. We run over to her to check on her condition. When I turn her body around to see her waking up, she was actually injured from the explosion with a piece of metal shrapnel stuck to her waist. Even bleeding out from her injury as well.

"Oh, Christ," I said.

"She's hurt badly," said Cayce. "What do we do?"

"Mm…David…it hurts," moaned Kristine.

_"Newblood to Madsen! Newblood to Madsen! Come in, David! Where are you?!"_

"I'm here, Newblood!" I responded. "What is it?!"

_"David, you cheeky bastard! We've been trying to reach for fifteen minutes! And you cut Cage from comms! Where have you been?!"_

"I'm in detention block 7 with Cayce. Kristine is badly injured and Mason…Mason's dead, Newblood. He's gone as well."

_"Bloody hell. David, we got bigger troubles. Dhaled's been captured by ConDef and now we have Fallen foes crashing the party."_

Another explosion is made in the room and then come marching in rampaging Revenant running towards us. Cayce and I shoot them all down with our pistols to cover Kristine. Once they're all shot down into dust, I get back to Newblood and end the discussion.

"Copy that Newblood," I said. "We're aware. Just make sure Cayce is aware Kristine is WIA and Wheeler and Mason are both KIA. Madsen out."

"So, they now got Dhaled, huh?" Cayce said. "Way to go, Idaho."

"I'm gonna try getting this thing out of you," I said to Kristine. "Just take a deep breath while we put pressure on this."

"No!" Kristine snapped. "Leave me. Don't let that fucker get away with this!"

"Absolutely not! I cannot lose you too!"

"With all due respect, Commander, I can treat myself. Just make that son of a bitch pay for what he did to Flint and Mason. Please."

I hesitate for a second or two until I make up my mind to honor my lieutenant's wish. A medic who has saved lives and treated others can now save her own life and treat herself. Knowing better than Cayce and I on how to handle an injury like hers. She left us with no other choice.

"We gotta get out of here," I said. "Let's find that bastard who killed two of our good men today."

"David, we can't just leave her here," said Cayce.

"I'm giving you an order, Cayce! She's a medic and can help herself. The mission comes first as always."

Cayce turned his eyes back to Kristine before leaving with me.

"Whatever happens when we're gone," he said. "I want you to know I'm sorry I sold you out. I love you."

"I love you too, Cayce," said Kristine.

Cayce kissed Kristine on the forehead and we immediately left. Running out through the whole the Revenant had broken through to get inside here.

Kristine was the strongest woman I knew on Valor Team. Stronger than her brother. Stronger than her father. Even stronger than her aunt. All of whom were cowards believing the evil things they've done could save their family. The mark on her arm never changed who she was to me and her courage to stand up for her family and joining the corps made her less of a traitor than she is now.

Before leaving, I walk over to Mason body and tag his dog tag. His family will be needing it when they hear of his death. I had made sure I had Flint's dog tag for his family as well. Then we left the detention block.

_"Fallen have breached the Capital Towers! I repeat, Fallen Revenant have breached Capital Towers!"_

"No shit, Holmes and Watson," said Cayce. "We just shot through some of those zombie bastards."

"HQ, this is Commander Madsen. We have confirmed the presence of Ares and the Dark Order inside the Capital Towers. Can you get any visual on Ares himself?"

_"We're getting similar reports, Madsen. Scanning for visuals. Target spotted. Crossing the skybridge to Tower Two. You better hustle. We're tracking a storm front moving in. Sandstorm's likely to hit in less than ten minutes."_

The two of us begin ascending upwards towards Ares's destination. We find ourselves by a corner end of Tower One and see the entire wall chewed away by something that burned it down. We were ninety stories upward and got a massive view of the battlefield over a thousand feet below. Choppers and harriers flying past us outdoors.

There were also fireballs descending out of the sky where pods of Fallen came from. The damage done on this wall here didn't come from offensive aircraft. It came from something alive and I think I knew what.

"Just look at this place out here," said Cayce. "Even now everyone's losing this war by the dozens. Now we got to face Fallen shooting out of the sky which I bet the Resistance isn't trained to fight against."

"We get to Tower Two and we stop Ares," I reminded. "That's what matters most."

We keeping making our ascent towards the skybridge to get to Tower Two. Along the way, Fallen pods crash through the ceiling and start flooding the rooms with hordes of Fallen. We shot them down with our auto-rifles like fish in a barrel. Fighting Fallen was like fighting zombies in a George Romero film. Which was exactly what Fallen was. The Revenant type specifically. The ones that are resurrected corpses turned reanimated beings.

Cayce and I kept fighting more Fallen than ConDef out on an outdoor balcony connected to the skybridge ahead of us. Then we somehow get an ominous transmission from our old Resistance pal.

_"Command!"_ Dhaled cried out on comms. _"I need reinforcements at my location! Heavy ConDef forces and Fallen hordes have surrounded us!"_

"What?! Was that Dhaled?" Cayce thought. "How did he get back on this channel if he was captured?!"

_"Colonel Dhaled, respond!"_ HQ demanded. _"We've lost comms. Too much interference."_

_"Colonel Dhaled's AD is compromised,"_ said Resistance Command. _"We lost comms and visuals. He's been captured by ConDef. We're trying to locate."_

"HQ, we have to help Dhaled," I said. "We wouldn't have gotten this far if it wasn't for him."

_"Noted, Commander, but you need to stop Ares. Find out where he is. Once you achieve you're objective, you'll be cleared for pickup."_

"How long until that sandstorm hits?"

_"Few minutes tops. Keep moving. HQ out."_

The two of us race across the sky bridge when we reach it. Shooting down more of Ares's cannon fodder as we went along. When we were inside Tower Two, we needed another lead on Ares's whereabouts from HQ.

"Madsen to HQ. Do you have another fix on Ares?"

_"We got him. In an elevator ascending."_

We step inside another atrium. Same as the one where we took out Alif. Only this atrium was burning down to timbers. No way ConDef set this kind of destruction up. The fire had been spreading top to bottom and it would take longer for ConDef to start a fire like this.

"Look at all this fire," said Cayce. "This can't be ConDef's doing!"

"It isn't," I said. "Let's hope we don't find out anytime soon."

"HQ said the UFO was the same from San Fran and Canyon Springs. Could they really mean that?"

"If they did, I don't look forward to seeing it again. Let's hustle and get to Ares."

We shoot up more Fallen, run up the atrium, and find an elevator we hack into via hotwiring. Then we stepped inside and up we go. It's never safe to use an elevator in a burning building but it was the one option we had.

_"Cage to Madsen! Cage to Madsen! What the fuck are doing and what the fuck is going on! Either you cut me off or comms really are fucked!"_

"Ares's fucking with our comms," said Cayce.

"I cut you off, Captain," I said. "I'm stopping Ares and I'm not doing it alone!"

_"Goddammit, David,"_ said Cage. _"Penske is going to roast your ass for insubordination. And you just abandoned Lieutenant Prescott. Not that I care what happens to her but if you don't pull back now, Prescott won't be the only person tried and condemned from this team! Do you understand me?!"_

"Loud and crystal clear, Cage. Madsen out."

"I can assume you didn't mean that," said Cayce.

"HQ, an update on Ares?"

_"He's moving on the roof. Looks like the UFO is with him. Be careful."_

"Yeah, careful isn't good enough."

We exit the elevator and we're on the top floor where we have instant roof access. Exactly Ares's last known location that was less than a mile away from. We approached the stairs to the roof and prepared ourselves for the worst.

"We can't let him get off the tower," I said.

Little did we know a horde of Fallen had been waiting for us. One that was marching behind us out of the shadows like an army of nutcrackers. Making zombie noises with their eyes glowing ethereal blue. Ares set us up to an ambush.

"Oh, shit," I said.

Cayce shot down a couple but a couple wasn't good enough. There were dozens more to kill that we didn't have all the ammunition in the world for.

"Dammit," said Cayce. "There's too many!"

Then suddenly, an explosion was set off out of nowhere taking out more Revenant than our rifles could. It was Kristine who had stopped by to the rescue. Taking another elevator up and devastating the horde with a grenade pistol. Even stitched herself up with bandages and gauze around her waist and shoulder.

"I'll hold them!" She shouted. "You two go after Ares! Now!"

Without an argument, we rush up the step and let the heroic heroine Kristine Prescott take on the rest of the Revenant. Leaving her behind again. Except in a more stable and healed condition.

I kick the door to the roof open and immediately spot Ares in our sights. We kept our gun barrels trained on him at all times.

"Ares!" I shout.

The war god himself stood there close to the edge of the roof. Then turned around to where we cornered him. Ares smiled in amazement.

"You still haven't had enough, have you?" He thought. "Even after losing two of your men and abandoning another? I must say, I'm astounded by your leadership tactics."

I bite my lip in disgust from this monster's words. Ready to pull my trigger and place a bullet with Ares's name on it right through his eyes.

"Don't listen to this cocksucker!" Cayce disputed.

"But where are my manners?" Ares continued. "Of course, I am a man of my word and shall offer you the death you desire. In the meantime, I'll be sure Max Caulfield never feels a thing when I have her head. What I'm about to do to her, I'm going to enjoy very, very much."

"Agh!" I screamed.

Then I pull the trigger and a bullet grazes across Ares's cheek. Rendering him a bleeding scar across his face. Looked as though lead could not defeat the mad god of war himself. Which I figured wouldn't.

"Ever since San Fran," I said in a calmer mood. "I always figured you as the head of the snake. What you said about balance, there's nothing fun about that. What we want to do with you is not for vengeance, but for justice. Killing Max will not end this war the way you think it will."

"And killing me won't be so easy," said Ares. "Nor will it end this war the way you think it will. In all my years of conquest, it was never personal. Many have opposed me and tried to kill me for matters I found necessary for the good of the universe. None have outlived so. I will leave you to your fates. Only the reclamation will decide that."

We hear the roar of a dragon and lo and behold the creature HQ refers to as the UFO. What we refer to as Ares's dragon that burned down SF Spectre and half of Canyon Springs. Flying right behind him as its wings moved up and down like a giant bat taking flight.

"So long, David Madsen," said Ares.

As the dragon roared and flapped its wings behind Ares, the god himself aimed his gauntlet at us to activate the Power Shard again. Shooting a purple shockwave through us that knocked us off our feet. Then Ares utilized the Space Shard to lift himself off the ground and mount himself on the back of his dragon. And then Ares took flight on his dragon and flew away.

Kristine made it up to the roof and found us immobile. The purple energy Ares shot at us had not been pleasant. We were temporarily paralyzed by the shock and Kristine ran to us for help.

"David! Cayce!" She shouted out.

I tried getting up and I took Kristine's hand for help. Cayce to her hand to help him stand as well.

"What happened?" Kristine asked. "Where's Ares?"

_"Command to HQ! Come in HQ! Fallen have breached Mitr Mar Station! I say again, Fallen have entered the base and we can't hold them back!"_

We overhear the distressful comm chatter on the channel. The three of us walk toward the edge of the roof and watch the horrors of the Resistance losing their base as well as their great city from hundred stories above them out in the distance.

_"Command, we have the unidentified flying object approaching us! We don't know what the hell it is but it's burning through everything!"_

Ares's dragon could be seen from up here burning down every building in the district of Mitr Mar. Roasting up every Chrysalis and Resistance force into burning char.

_"HQ, we cannot hold back that UFO! We're taking heavy casualties and there's that fucking sandstorm coming!"_

The sandstorm was coming closer to the building. The massive dust cloud merging into the city closer and closer. It was no longer going to be safe for people to fight down there with neither the dragon nor the storm.

_"He's coming down us! We can't hold much longer! Agh!"_

There are roars and burning noises heard on the chatter and then silenced by static. I shut my eyes and turn my head around to look away from the terror Ares had unleashed on Beirut. As Mason said before his death, no mission too difficult. No sacrifice too great. But this mission has failed.

_"HQ to every Resistance and Chrysalis unit in Beirut. We have mandatory orders from Admiral Penske to fall back. I say again, fall back and evacuate the city. We'll have choppers picking up whatever units standing by to address the retreat to the first fleet. HQ out."_

_"Lynch to Madsen! You still out there?! Where are you?!"_

"Lynch, is that you?" I respond. "What are you doing on this channel?"

_"Finding your ass so we can get the hell out! I've already picked up the rest of the team and I need your location now! We don't want to be flying into that sandstorm by the time I find you."_

"Cayce, Kristine, and I are up on the roof of Tower Two. We'll light some flares so you can find us. Just get us the fuck out of this wet dream of a city. Madsen out."

**Note: So yeah, all that pretty much happened. Took as much time as I needed to write this. And got sidetracked between watching Breaking Bad and the Fast and the Furious series for the first time, replaying the Gears of War series before Gears 5, replaying the first two Borderlands games before Borderlands 3, and so forth. Wasn't kidding when I said this chapter could be long but the excitement doesn't end here. Only one more chapter to write and you may find something even more shocking in that chapter than what you've read in this one. You may have seen it coming, you may have not.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	23. Fall

Chapter 23 Fall

Max

June 11th, 2006

8:26 AM

Tillamook State Forest

Tillamook Camping Grounds

It was time to pack everything up and go home. Hard to believe this camping trip was over. Between Chloe being the spoiled brat that she is, Alex being the adventurous know-it-all, and Bryan being the intellectual on ghost stories, this trip sure was a pleasant one.

We had been packing all our gear in the cars before our departure and got up early enough to do so. Aside from climbing up that cliff again, Chloe and I packed our bags in the drunk of William's car, and Alex packed her belongings in the trunk of Bryan's vehicle.

"Well, Max," said Chloe. "I don't know about you, but my back killing me!"

We close the trunk of the car as we finished packing. Stretching our arm out to crack our back that had ached from carrying our heavy load.

"You're right about that, Chloe," I said. "My back could use a rest right now."

"Glad you girls were able to put your backs into it," said Alex approaching us. "You won't believe the long hauls my Dad and I had to go through on the trips we've been on."

"Easy for you to say, Indiana Caulfield," said Chloe. "Our booty Max and I find is less heavy than this haul."

"You're booty?!"

"Our treasure, Alex," I said. "Booty is a term pirates use for treasure. A funny name at first but you get used to it."

"Well then," scoffed Alex. "I just learned a new word from you two pirates."

"Sounds like you girls had an amazing time on this trip," said William entering the conversation.

"Aside from throwing our backs out, Dad," said Chloe. "Yes, we did."

"I think you girls were able to put your backs into well enough," said my dad.

"I think so too, Uncle R," said Alex. "And that's coming from someone who has been on more camping trips with more camping experience than anyone in the family. Besides my dad of course who taught me well."

"Say you're goodbyes, you three. We're heading home in less than a minute."

Dad and William step inside William's car and waited for us. Uncle Bryan was already in his car waiting for Alex. The three of us say our farewells before we were ready to leave.

"I must say, Chloe," said Alex. "It has indeed been a pleasure meeting you. For a spoiled brat, you make a great friend of Max's."

"Hey!" Chloe snapped. "I am not spoiled!"

"Says the girl who wanted to eat all the smores in the world last night," I said.

"I didn't mean that literally, Max. When have I ever meant things literally?"

"Whenever you say we'll be real pirates one day, sail the seven seas, find buried treasure on a mysterious island, you sure say it like you mean it."

"You cannot be serious."

"Hey, let's be real," said Alex. "When I say I'm Professor Henry Jones, Jr., I never mean that literally. It's okay to embrace our imaginations for the fun of it. We don't always say it like we mean it."

"Okay, Dr. Jones," said Chloe. "From now on you can call us Captain Bluebeard and Long Max Silver and we'll never mean that either."

We hear Bryan honking his horn.

"Alex, let's go!" He called out.

"I'm coming!" Alex called back. "Cute pirate names. I think your big cousin could use a big hug before her departure."

I do the honors and hug the girl dressed in Indy Jones's wear. Caressing my arms around her waist and leaning my head against her chest. Alex held me as well and shook my dark ponytail hair. Then kissed me on the forehead and smiled.

"I love you, Max," said Alex. "I love you like a sister."

"I love you too, Alex," said Max. "I really do wish you were my sister."

With that said and done, Alex returned to her father and stepped into the car to be ready to leave. Chloe and I hop into William's car and we all left the campgrounds. Taking different directions from each other. William driving south back to Arcadia Bay and Bryan driving north back to Seattle.

I lean against the window next to my seat in the car. Chloe's probably upset that I wished Alex was my sister instead of my cousin since I keep telling Chloe the same thing. She's still my best friend no matter what, however. I like both Alex and Chloe in the same manner regardless. I spend the rest of the ride staring at trees between the open road through a glass window in the car.

"Max, do you ever notice anything about Alex?" Chloe asked.

"What about her?" I thought.

"She almost looks just like you. You two got the same freckled face only she's a giant compared to you. Taller I mean. And she's got darker hair too. You even have the same colored eyes. What if you two really are sisters? Just saying."

"We're not sisters, Chloe," I said. "We never were. Her and I make look almost the same but we're still cousins. And we always will be."

"What if I asked you this? Am I still like a sister to you, Caulfield?"

"You're whoever I want you to be, Chloe Price. A sister can be it if that's what you want."

"Then that's what you'll get."

My dad has a concerned look on his face when he overhears us talking behind him. As if he knew something he didn't. Knew something I'd never want to know.

William drives the car down the long road home back to Arcadia Bay. Remembering this camping trip we'll never forget and taking us home safely. Chloe and Alex will always be sisters to me. Even in non-literal. Maybe.

* * *

Max

July 23rd, 2017

9:55 AM

Meridian Prime, Meridian Prime

High Rent District

I hit the ground dirt by the cliffside where I had fallen. Then see the gun Alkaline dropped through the floorboards. I get up to reach for it until I'm kicked in the abdomen by Alkaline's boot. Then Alex drops down, crawls for the gun, reaches for it, and actually picks it up in time before Alkaline has time to react. Alex aims his gun at the ConDef general.

"You're fast," said Alex. "But you're not that fast."

Alex stands on her two feet and keeps the gun on Alkaline.

"Hey, forget about him," I said. "C'mon, we gotta get outta here before they - shit."

Not a second too soon, Joanna and Alkaline's lieutenants enter the scene with their guns pointed at us. Then Alex seizes Alkaline by his should and restrains him with the gun next to his head. Making leverage for Joan and the head ConDef troops between her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I panic. "Everybody just…just calm down, okay?"

"Well, this is interesting," said Joanna. Aiming her pistol at us. "Max. Alex."

"Put your guns down!" Alex warned. Holding Alkaline around his neck with the gun still against his skull. "All of you."

"No," replied Joan.

"Joan, this bitch is on edge," said Alkaline.

"Oh, don't worry about her, Elias. These gals don't kill anyone in cold blood. It's just not their style."

"You willing to bet his life on that?" Alex questioned.

"Go ahead then," said Joan. "Shoot him."

"Alex," I said.

"I die, you both die," said Alkaline.

"So be it," hissed Alex. "Not another step!"

"You mean…like this?" Joan wondered. Taking another step closer.

"Alex…put the gun down," I said.

"I warned you," said Alex.

"Do it!" Joan snapped.

"Joanna!" Alkaline screamed.

I swipe the gun out of Alex's hand. Causing her to press the trigger and shoot a bullet in the sky. Alkaline shoved Alex away from her grip with his elbow and returned to his people.

"It's done!" I shouted. Holding the pistol from the barrel with my two hands in the air as an act of surrender.

"Hold your fire!" Joanna warned. Standing in front of Tie and Baluga to withdraw their rifles. "Don't shoot! Put it down."

I toss the gun over to Joanna to do what she asks.

"It's done," I said. "Okay? It's done."

Alkaline takes his gun back and picks it up from the ground. He walked back to his partner and men. Patronizing Joanna for her lack of heart for himself.

"'Don't worry, Elias,'" he scolded. "'It's not their style.'"

"What can I say?" Joan thought. "I didn't think she had it in her."

The Prescott lady grinned happily and approached Alex.

"Alexis," she said. Brushing her shirt off. "You okay? I guess you knew this moment was coming, huh?"

Alex spat in Joanna's face with her own saliva. Sickened by her antagonism.

"Go to hell, Joan," she said.

Joanna whipped the spit off her face and smack her hand across Alex's cheek. Knocking her down on her hips.

"Hey!" I yelled. "C'mon, Joan. You already got us. Take it easy."

Joann aimed her gun at me and then lowered it for a brief second to hear me out.

"C'mon, now," I said. "You're a businesswoman. Let's just…work out a deal."

"Oh, a deal," said Joan. "Oh yeah, I'd love to hear what you have in mind."

Joanna kicked Alex in the nose who was still disemboweled. Giving her a bleed through the nose. Whatever stops her from torturing my cousin, I might as well spit out this trivial deal I can make with her.

"Oh, you can go ahead," said Joanna. "I'm listening."

I help Alex up before I speak of the deal. Taking her hand and pulling her back up with the bloody mark Joan made between her nostrils.

"Look, I have the Time Shard right," I told Joanna. Holding my necklace from where the shard hanged. "But you still need to find the Ark of Genesis. We'll help you find it."

"And in exchange, I let you live?" Joanna wondered.

"Yeah, that…and the shard right here. As well as the codex Alex has in her pockets too."

Joanna chuckled.

"The gauchos on this young lady," she said. "Truth be told, if it were up to me, I might spare your life if I could. Except Ares has been wanting you're head since our alliance with him began. So even if I do take this deal you propose, I can't let either of you live. Besides, you had your chance to take my deal I offered back in Rome and you blew it the second you cut and ran after Alkaline. You still don't know do you?"

"Don't know what?" I thought.

"By now you must be wondering how the two of you are descendants of the Herd of Whales. The answer, Ms. Caulfield, has been staring at you in the face since you're pathetic little journey began."

I turn my head to Alex. Thinking she's the answer to how we're heirs to the herd. But how?"

"Alex…what is she talking about?" I asked.

"Go on, Alex," said Joan. "Tell her you're secret you've decided to keep from her all this time. We're waiting."

Alex turns her head to me as I looked at her in the eye in confusion. What was Joanna saying? What secret could Alex have been keeping from me this entire time?

"Max…don't be pissed," said Alex. "But I'm sorry."

Alex pulled up the sleeve of her shirt and what I saw was an astounding act of betrayal. There was a symbol burned on Alex's arm. The symbol of the Herd of Whales marked into her skin. My heart was racing. My head was spinning. My hand was cupped over my mouth in shock. How could it be so? Alex had been one of them this whole time.

"No," I whimpered.

"Oh, Alex," said Joanna. "I always knew you never had to courage to tell Max who you really were. And neither did Bryan no doubt."

"We're wasting our time," said Alkaline.

"Just a second. Thing is, Max, you're family once descended upon the herd's family tree for generations. That's until the time when you're uncle Bryan and even you're father Ryan were exiled from the herd. That's right. The Caulfield bloodline like the Prescott bloodline were once together proud families who united themselves into HOW. And now you're the last heir to the HOW family tree. One chosen to have your time power and all that gibberish."

I'm trembling at this awful truth. If I knew how Chloe felt about my revelation, it does not compare to Alex's. I slowly turn back at my traitorous cousin shaking with disgust. A sickening frown is all I had for her.

"Max, do not look at me like that," she said. "It's not my fault. I-"

"You lied to me," I whimpered. "You – you knew."

"Max, listen. We were destined to find that ark. We always were-"

"No!" I snarl. Shoving Max away from me. "I left my life for you!"

I was still panting in disbelief. Joanna enjoyed the show and applauded with her hands.

"Unbelievable," she said. "I told you before, Max. Alex is only ever in it for Alex. But hey, look, Max. If it's any consolation, she dupped me too. She pulled a Houdini on me. She brought you, her father, and you're old friends from Arcadia Bay and Seattle into the mix and I cannot like, Alex. That really pissed me off. But you know, all behind us now."

"You don't deserve this," said Alex. "You have no idea what Ares would do if he ever got to the shards and the ark first."

"You do? I too know concisely what Ares would do if he got to them first. He's in Beirut right now rescuing his Dark Order kids and finding the Space Shard while taking down the resistance movement there."

"Joan," said Alkaline.

"What?"

"One way or another end it. Or I will."

"Well, you heard the gentleman. Guess I'll have to take the codex and that shard off you're corpses."

"Hey," I said. "You miss one clue and you can kiss that ark goodbye. You said it yourself. Alex is only ever in it for Alex. Why don't you face it, Joan? You need us. I'm the traveler and the only person who can handle this shard. We take you to the ark and both the shard and codex are all Ares's. Then he can have our heads if likes."

Joanna kept her gun on us while thinking and contemplating about what I said. Then she put her pistol down when she made up her mind.

"Yeah, you're right," she admitted. "You're half right. I just need Alex and I'll take you out myself."

Joanna returns her aim at me and I warn her she was making a mistake. Then Alex got in front of me to protect from whatever bullet comes out of Joanna's barrel. And then Joan shoots Alex in the arm that leaves a bleeding graze on it. Causing me to accidentally slip off the cliffside and fall down into the river at the bottom. I scream to death as I fall.

"Max!" Alex cried.

**The Sound Of Silence – Disturbed**

My body implodes underwater as the river breaks my fall. Drenching beneath the waves and dunked underneath the current. I can see the sun illuminating the waves as my eyes are blinded by the water I was drowning in. My vision eventually fades to blackness as my lungs are stuffed with enough water to drown. My mind filled with the horrific truth of Alex's role in the Herd of Whales. And now it would seem Uncle Bryan and even my own Dad were a part of it too? What was going on here?

All my life I'd been seeing myself as an average nobody and since the day my powers first came into fruition, I knew I was more. But an heir to the herd? Alex would now be an enemy of the state considering the mark on her arm. And so would I if ever had one. Of all the things I've done to lie to Chloe for her safety, it could not be measured to what Alex has confessed to me now.

* * *

David, Cayce, and Kristine hop on Lynch's helicopter with the rest of Valor except for Mason and Flint who had been killed in action during the mission. As soon as Lynch flew her bird away from the sandstorm emerging into Beirut, the team could see the dragon the belonged to Ares ignited its flammable breath onto the Capital Towers. Burning it down until it crumbled to the ground like the World Trade Center during 9/11. Watching the dragon burn it all down to its last particle until there was nothing but rubble and ash.

Everything around the capital towers was still burning up like bonfires and candlesticks. The fire destroying every building, street, and living thing that was still down there. Soldiers, civilians, resistance fighters, you name them had been barbequed into char. Mitr Mar Station was destroyed. The Capital Towers were destroyed. Beirut was nothing more but a graveyard of the war it was torn apart by. Beirut was a lost cause. Beirut was now covered in a massive sand cloud from the storm it was being hit by. Beirut had fallen.

* * *

Admiral Penske had been overseeing the situation in Beirut in the CIC room on the bridge of the Oregon via projection on the war table. Watching the Capital Towers crumble down. Terrified at the mass loss that befell Beirut. Hoping most of his Chrysalis troops and the Resistance men could make it back safely. Even though his hopes weren't too high. The fall of Beirut was too great.

On the refugee deck, James texted his daughter to make it back safely and hopes Max and Chloe return safely as well.

**James: Be safe, Rachel. Bring your friends back safely. I don't wish to lose you again.**

**Rachel: I will dad. I've done it before, I'll do it again.**

**James: I know you will. Good luck.**

Joyce had the same concerns for her daughter as well. Texting Chloe to come back in one piece.

**Joyce: I can't blame you for being protective of Max but please be safe. I don't wish to lose you like your father.**

**Chloe: I don't wish that either mom but I can't lose Max either. Neither does Ryan and Nessa. I'm not just doing this for myself. Wish me luck. Tell David I'm sorry.**

**Joyce: Don't be Chloe. I'll be sure David comes after you when he's back.**

**Chloe: Thx mom. I love you.**

**Joyce: I love you too.**

Ryan was still dealing with the grief of his daughter's lies as well as his niece's survival. He had left his wife alone for a while so she could deal with it on her own. Then he took a peek at something on his arm. Something he had been hiding from his daughter for years since she was born. Ryan rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to look at his Herd of Whales mark on his arm. The one that had been burnt into his skin years ago. Just like his brother.

Steph Gingrich played another game of Marvel Tabletop Heroes with her pals Johnny and Kerry. As well as with Warren, Brooke, Hayden, and even Victoria's boyfriend Freddy who decided to play. All having a laugh every time someone scored high.

Kate and her younger sisters gathered around with Victoria, Taylor, Courtney, Juliet, and Dana into a circle. All crisscrossing their legs on the floor, holding hands, closing their eyes, and praying to God for their safety from this war. Victoria and her girls may have done things to Kate that aren't easy to forgive, but Kate earned her respect from people like Victoria through good citizenship.

* * *

Back on Meridian Prime, Alex was taken captive by Joanna and Alkaline and she was escorted to a meeting area on the island. The people they were meeting were Ares and the Dark Order. An electric blue rift that opened like a portal had teleported Ares and his flying dragon from Beirut to the meeting area. Carrying Ares himself, Apollo, Nemesis, Thanatos, and Hephaestus. Holding Colonel Dhaled as their captive. Ares landed his dragon in front of Alex, Joanna, Alkaline, and Lieutenants Tie and Baluga.

Ares and his Dark Order minions hopped off the dragon and approached the five human beings. Dhaled was being restrained by Thanatos as their prisoner. Everyone bent the knee to Ares except Alex. Ares gave Alex a menacing glare and she didn't kneel. Out of fear and instinct, that's when she decided to.

Bryan was now flying his plane above Meridian Prime. Overlooking the island beneath him and with Rachel and Frank on board. Then he pulled the sleeve of his shirt up to peek at his HOW mark. Same his brother had been keeping from Max as well. He was still worried Max may have discovered this troubling secret somehow but all that mattered was that he'd find his niece alive and well.

* * *

My body had been washed away up the shore of the river. Still unconscious from the drowning and my forehead grazed with a small bleeding cut. Then an old girlfriend approached me and dropped in to the rescue. Finding my unconscious as my precious punk turned my body around to wake me.

"Oh my God," said Chloe. Shaking me awake. "Max. Hey, Max!"

**End of Episode 4!**

**Note: And that concludes Life Is Strange: Eternity War – Episode 4: Paradise Lost! Will Alex Caulfield be rescued? Will Max know the full truth of her inheritance to the Herd of Whales? Will David reconcile with his team to help Chloe on the island of Meridian Prime? Stay tuned next time for the penultimate episode of Eternity War – Episode 5: New Exodus. **

**Before you all read the credits, I like to say I'll be at least taking a month's break from writing or so. I'll be returning to college for my senior year by then but that doesn't concern me. I'm taking a longer break from writing in favor of other things I want to work on as well as things I like messing around with in my life. Which will be creating outlines for future stories that will be for Mass Effect and maybe rewrites of my previous stories for other sites, catching up on Better Call Saul after finishing the entire series of Breaking Bad, replaying Gears of War and Borderlands, etc.**

**I also like to address the twist ending of this episode about the Caulfields. Their involvement with the Herd of Whales will be explained in the following episode. So you should know more in the coming penultimate chapter of this series. And yes, I will be playing episode 4 of Life Is Strange 2 as well when that's out in a few weeks.**

**Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**

**Life Is Strange: Eternity War**

**Episode 4: Paradise Lost**

**Voice Cast**

**Max Caulfield… …Hannah Telle**

**Alex Caulfield… …Fryda Wolff**

**Chloe Price… …Ashly Burch**

**Rachel Amber… …Erin Yvette**

**David Madsen… …Don McManus**

**Cayce Foley… …Christopher Emerson**

**Kristine Prescott… …Laura Bailey**

**Joyce Price… …Cissy Jones**

**Frank Bowers… …Daniel Bonjour**

**Fernando Rojas… …Freddy Prinze, Jr.**

**Kristen West… …Kelley Crowder**

**Bryan Caulfield… …Brandon Keener**

**Ryan Caulfield… …Adam Harrington**

**Vanessa Caulfield… …Misty Lee**

**Warren Graham… …Carlos Luna**

**Victoria Chase… …Dani Knights**

**Kate Marsh… …Dayeanne Hutton**

**Steph Gingrich… …Katy Bentz**

**Freddy Mayne… …Daniel Kendrick**

**Cpt. Clayton Cage… …Chris Fries**

**Lt. Jeb Mason… …Charles Parnell**

**Sgt. Andrew Newblood… …Nick Boulton**

**Sgt. Carlos Logos… …Alex Hernandez**

**Lt. Maj. Cheryl Heard… …Cindy Robinson**

**Lt. Amanda Lynch… …Emily O'Brien**

**Pvt. Flint Wheeler… …Jeff Schine**

**James Amber… …Patrick Finnerty**

**Rose Amber… …Kelly Handcock**

**Col. Fehr Dhaled… …Noshir Dalal **

**Richard Marsh… …Robert Clotworthy**

**Mary Marsh… …Rebecca Schweitzer**

**Lynn Marsh… …Louisa Mackintosh**

**Laura Marsh… …Brett Pels**

**Gen. Rihn Alif... ...Omid Abtahi**

**Apollo… …Steve Phelan**

**Nemesis… …Cissy Jones**

**Thanatos… …Eric Morgan Stuart**

**Hephaestus… …Don McManus**

**Elias Alkaline… …Simon Templeman**

**Joanna Prescott… …Jennifer Hale**

**Chronos… …Keith Szarabajka**

**William Price… …Joe Ochman**

**Ares… …Neil Kaplan**

**Written and Edited by**

**WickDaLine**

**Based on the characters by**

**Christian Divine**

**Zak Garriss**

**Music by**

**Henry Jackman**

**Jonathan Morali**

**Daughter**

**Soundtrack**

**Lead Me Home – Jamie N. Commons**

**The Sound Of Silence – Disturbed**

**Special Thanks**

**Dontnod**

**Deck Nine**

**Square Enix**

**Christian Divine**

**Zak Garriss**

**Michel Koch**

**Luc Baghadoust**

**Raoul Barbet**

**Chris Floyd**

**Hannah Telle**

**Ashly Burch**

**Jonathan Morali**

**Daughter**

**Tur1823**

**Xemtlenc**

**Stargazing Writer**

**The Rainbow Shaka-Bra**

**and you!**

**Disclaimer**

**I do not own anything! This is a fan-written work of fiction and non-profitable. All rights belong to Dontnod, Deck Nine, and Square Enix. Thank you.**

Next time on Life Is Strange: Eternity War…

Max and Chloe walked next to each other. Traveling on foot on the island of Meridian Prime. Where waterfalls were falling, rivers were streaming, and ruins of the colonial waterworks and engineering remained. Finding Alex Caulfield who had been captured by ConDef.

"In all the time I have served Ares," said Apollo. "I have never failed him. If I were to capture the Traveler you call Maxine Caulfield myself, with the Time Shard still attached to you're vaguely irritating cousin, there would be – judgment. Tell me, where is she? I shall reward you with a reprieve should you tell me now."


End file.
